/) 

1> 


THE  ALBERT  GATE  MYSTERY 


OF  CAUF,   f.fWIMirv.   109    AWKFI.F* 


Hussein-ul-Mulk. 


—  Frontispiece. 


Thi  Jl/-,rt  Gat,  Mrittrt 


THE  ALBERT 
GATE  MYSTERY 


Being   Further    Adventures   of 
REGINALD   BRETT,  Barrister  Detective 

BY    LOUIS     TRACY 

Author  of  "  WINGS  OF  THE  MORNING,"  ««  THE  STOW- 
MARKET  MYSTERY,"  "THE  FINAL  WAR,"  ETC.,  ETC. 


R.  F.  FENNO   &  COMPANY 

9  &?  1 1  East  1 6th  Street,  New  York  ::  1904. 


Copyright,  1904 
BY  R.  F.  FKNNO  &  COMPANY 


T>«  jflbrt  Gait  tljitirj. 


Contents 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I    A  MYSTERIOUS  CRIME 7 

II    MEHEMET  ALI'S  NOTE 18 

III  WHAT  THE  POLICE  SAW 29 

IV  THE  MURDERS 42 

V    A  STARTLING  CLUE 51 

VI    A  JOURNEY  To  PARIS 69 

VII  THE  HOUSE  IN  THE  RUE  BARBETTE          .       .  87 

VIII  WHAT  HAPPENED  IN  THE  RuE  BARBETTE         .  100 

IX  A  MONTMARTRE  ROMANCE              .          .          .          .115 

X    ON  GUARD 125 

XI  A  DISCONCERTED  COMMISSARY    ....  140 

XII    THE  INNKEEPER           , 161 

xiii   THE  RELEASE 176 

XIV      "TOUTVABIEN" 198 

XV      "MARIE" 209 

XVI  THE  HALL  PORTER'S  DOUBTS      ....  223 

XVII  THE  YACHT  "BLUE  BELL"         ....  235 

6 


2133301 


CHAPTER  PAGK 

XVIII  TAI,BOT'S  ADVENTURES  .  .  .  .  .247 

XIX  THE  RACE 259 

XX  CWJSE  QUARTERS  ..,.-.  269 

XXI  THE  FIGHT 281 

XXII  PIECING  THE  PUZZI.E  ......     292 


THE  ALBERT  GATE  MYSTERY 


CHAPTER    I 

A  MYSTERIOUS  CRIME 

REGINALD  BRETT,  barrister-at-law  and 
amateur  detective,  had  seldom  been  more 
at  peace  with  the  world  and  his  own  conscience  than 
when  he  entered  the  dining-room  of  his  cosy  flat 
this  bright  October  morning. 

Since  the  famous  affair  of  Lady  Delia  Lyle's 
disappearance  and  death,  he  not  had  been  busy,  and 
the  joy  of  healthy  idleness  is  only  known  to  the  hard 
worker.  Again,  while  dressing,  he  had  received  a 
letter  inviting  him  to  a  quiet  shoot  at  a  delightful 
place  in  the  country. 

All  these  things  blended  with  happy  inconse- 
quence to  render  Brett  contented  in  mind  and  affable 
in  manner. 

"  It's  a  fine  morning,  Smith,"  he  said  cheerily, 
as  he  settled  himself  at  the  table  where  his  "  man  " 
was  already  pouring  out  the  coffee. 

"  Bee-utiful,  sir,"  said  Smith. 

"  Smith !  " 

'  Yessir." 

"  Not  even  the  best  English  autumn  weather 
can  stand  being  called  '  bee-utiful.'  Don't  do  it. 
You  will  open  the  flood-gates  of  Heaven." 

Smith  laughed  decorously.      He  had  not  the  slight- 


8  THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

est  idea  what  his  master  meant,  but  if  it  pleased  Mr. 
Brett  to  be  jocose,  it  was  the  duty  of  a  servant  who 
knew  his  place  to  be  responsive. 

The  barrister  fully  understood  Smith's  delicate 
appreciation — and  its  limits.  He  instantly  noticed 
that  the  morning  paper,  instead  of  reposing  next 
to  his  folded  napkin,  was  placed  out  of  reach  on  a 
sideboard,  and  that  the  eggs  and  bacon  made  their 
appearance  half-a-minute  too  soon. 

As  an  expert  swordsman  delights  to  execute  a 
pass  en  tierce  with  an  umbrella,  so  did  the  cleverest 
analytical  detective  of  the  age  resolve  to  amaze  his 
servitor. 

"  Smith,"  he  said  suddenly,  composing  his  features 
to  their  most  severe  cross-examination  aspect,  "  I 
think  the  arrangement  is  an  excellent  one." 

"  What  arrangement,  sir." 

"  That  Mrs.  Smith  and  yourself  should  have  a 
few  days'  holiday,  while  Mrs.  Smith's  brother  takes 
your  place  during  my  forthcoming  visit  to  Lord 
Northallerton's — why,  man,  what  is  the  matter  ?  Is 
it  too  hot  ?  " — for  the  cover  Smith  had  lifted  off 
the  bacon  and  eggs  clattered  violently  on  the 
table. 

"'Ot,  sir.  'Ot  isn't  the  word.  You're  a  fair 
licker,  that's  what  you  are." 

Smith  invariably  dropped  his  h's  when  he  be- 
came excited. 

"  Smith,  I  insist  that  you  shall  not  call  me  names. 
Pass  the  paper." 

"  But,  sir " 

"  Pass  the  paper.  Utter  another  word  and  I  re- 
fuse to  accept  Mrs.  Smith's  brother  as  your  locum 
tenens" 

Smith  was  silenced  by  the  last  terrible  epithet. 
Yet  he  was  so  manifestly  nervous  that  Brett  re- 


A    MYSTERIOUS   CRIME  9 

solved  to  enlighten  him  before  plunging  into  the 
day's  news. 

"For  the  last  time,  Smith,"  he  said,  "I  will 
explain  to  you  why  it  is  hopeless  for  you  to 
think  of  concealing  tradesmen's  commissions  from 
me." 

The  shot  went  home,  but  the  enemy  was  acquainted 
with  this  method  of  attack,  and  did  not  wince. 

"  You  knew  that  Lord  Northallerton  had  recently 
invited  me  to  his  October  pheasant-shooting.  Dur- 
ing the  last  few  days  a  youth,  who  grotesquely 
reproduces  Mrs.  Smith's  most  prominent  features,  has 
mysteriously  tenanted  the  kitchen,  ill-cleaned  my 
boots,  and  bungled  over  the  studs  in  my  shirts. 
This  morning  a  letter  came  with  the  crest  and  the 
Northallerton  postmark.  Really,  Smith,  considering 
that  you  have  now  breathed  the  same  air  as  myself 
for  eight  long  years,  I  did  not  expect  to  be  called 
on  for  an  explanation.  Besides,  you  have  destroyed 
a  masterpiece." 

"  Sir "  began  Smith. 

"  Oh,  I  understand ;  there  is  nothing  broken  but 
your  reputation.  Don't  you  see  that  the  mere 
placing  of  the  newspaper  at  a  distance,  so  that  you 
might  have  a  chance  to  speak  before  I  opened  it, 
was  a  subtle  stroke,  worthy  of  Lecocq.  Yet  you 
demand  feeble  words.  What  a  pity !  Know, 
Smith,  that  true  genius  is  dumb.  Speech  may  be 
silvern,  but  silence  is  surely  golden." 

The  barrister  solemnly  unfolded  the  paper,  and 
Smith  faded  from  the  room.  On  a  page  usually 
devoted  to  important  announcements,  the  following 
paragraphs  stood  forth  in  the  boldness  of  leaded 
type:— 

"MYSTERIOUS  OCCURRENCE  IN  THE  WEST  END. 

"  An  affair  of  some  magnitude — perhaps  a  re- 


io         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

markable  crime — has  taken  place  in  an  Albert 
Gate  mansion. 

"  Owing  to  the  reticence  of  the  authorities,  it 
is  at  present  impossible  to  arrive  at  a  definite  con- 
clusion as  to  the  nature  or  extent  of  the  incident,  but 
it  is  quite  certain  that  public  interest  will  be  much 
excited  when  details  are  forthcoming.  All  sorts  of 
rumours  attain  credence  in  the  locality,  the  murder 
of  several  prominent  persons  being  not  the  least 
persistent  of  these.  Without,  however,  giving 
currency  to  idly  speculation,  several  authentic 
statements  may  be  grouped  into  a  connected 
form. 

"  Four  weeks  ago  a  party  of  Turkish  gentlemen 
of  high  rank  in  Constantinople,  arrived  in  London 
and  took  up  their  abode  in  the  house  in  question, 
after  some  structural  alterations,  pointing  at  great 
security  within  and  without,  had  been  planned  and 
executed. 

"  Attending  these  Turkish  gentlemen,  or  officials, 
was  a  numerous  suite  of  Moslem  guards  and  servants, 
whilst,  immediately  following  their  arrival,  came 
from  Amsterdam  some  dozen  noted  experts  in  the 
diamond-cutting  industry.  These  were  lodged  in  a 
neighbouring  private  hotel,  where  they  were  ex- 
tremely uncommunicative  as  to  their  business  in 
London.  They  were  employed  during  the  day  at 
the  Albert  Gate  house.  The  presence  in  the  man- 
sion, both  day  and  night,  of  a  strong  force  of  Metro- 
politan police,  tended  to  excite  local  curiosity  to 
an  intense  degree,  but  no  clear  conception  of  the 
business  of  the  occupants  was  allowed  to  reach  the 
public. 

"  Whatever  it  was  that  took  place,  the  full  parti- 
culars were  not  only  well  known  to  the  authorities — 
the  presence  of  the  police  hints  even  at  Governmental 


A    MYSTERIOUS    CRIME  u 

sanction — but  matters  proceeded  on  normal  lines 
until  yesterday  morning. 

"  Then  it  became  clear  that  a  remarkable  develop- 
ment must  have  occurred  during  the  preceding 
night,  as  the  whole  of  the  Dutch  workmen  and  the 
Turkish  attendants  were  taken  off  in  cabs  by  the 
police,  not  to  Morton  Street  Police  Station,  but  to 
Scotland  Yard  ;  this  in  itself  being  a  most  unusual 
course  to  adopt.  They  are  unquestionably  de- 
tained in  custody,  but  they  have  not  yet  been  charged 
before  a  magistrate. 

"The  police,  later  in  the  day,  carried  off  some  of 
these  men's  personal  belongings,  from  both  hotel 
and  mansion. 

"  A  sinister  aspect  was  given  to  the  foregoing 
mysterious  proceedings  by  the  presence  at  Albert 
Gate,  early  in  the  day,  of  two  police  surgeons,  who 
were  followed,  about  twelve  o'clock,  by  Dr.  Tenny- 
son Coke,  the  greatest  living  authority  on  toxic- 
ology. 

"  Dr.  Coke  and  the  other  medical  gentlemen  sub- 
sequently refused  to  impart  the  slightest  information 
as  to  the  reasons  that  led  the  police  to  seek  their  ser- 
vices, and  the  Scotland  Yard  authorities  are  adamant 
in  the  matter. 

"  The  representative  of  a  news  agency  was 
threatened  with  arrest  for  trespass  when  he  endea- 
voured to  gain  admission  to  the  Albert  Gate 
house,  and  it  is  quite  evident  that  the  police  are 
determined  to  prevent  the  facts  from  leaking  out 
at  present — if  they  can  by  any  means  accomplish 
their  wishes." 

Brett  read  this  interesting  statement  twice  slowly. 
It  fascinated  him.  Its  very  vagueness,  its  admis- 
sions of  inability  to  tell  what  had  really  happened, 


12         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

its  adroit  use  of  such  phrases  as  "  Turkish  gentlemen 
of  high  rank,"  "  Noted  experts  in  the  diamond- 
cutting  industry,"  "  The  greatest  living  authority  on 
toxicology,"  betrayed  the  hand  of  the  disappointed 
journalistic  artist. 

"  Excellent !  "  he  murmured  aloud.  "  It  is  the 
breath  of  battle  to  my  nostrils.  I  ought  to  tip 
Smith  for  my  breakfast.  Had  I  read  this  earlier, 
I  would  not  have  eaten  a  morsel." 

He  carefully  examined  the  page  at  the  back.  It 
contained  matter  of  no  consequence — a  London 
County  Council  debate — so  he  took  a  pair  of  scissors 
from  his  pocket  and  cut  out  the  complete  item, 
placing  the  slip  as  a  votive  offering  in  front  of  a 
finely-executed  bust  of  Edgar  Allen  Poe,  that  stood 
on  a  bookcase  behind  him. 

Within  three  minutes  the  scissors  were  again 
employed.  The  new  cutting  ran — 

"  There  is  trouble  at  Yildiz  Kiosk.  A  Renter's 
telegram  from  Constantinople  states  that  a  near 
relative  of  the  Sultan  has  fled  to  France.  The 
Porte  have  asked  the  French  Government  to  appre- 
hend him,  but  the  French  Ambassador  has  informed 
Riaz  Pasha  that  this  course  is  impracticable  in  the 
absence  of  any  criminal  charge." 

*'  These  two  are  one,"  said  the  barrister,  as  he 
turned  towards  Poe's  bust  and  laid  the  slip  by  the  side 
of  its  predecessor.  This  time  he  had  mutilated 
a  critique  of  an  Ibsensite  drama. 

The  rest  of  the  newspaper's  contents  had  no 
special  interest  for  him,  and  he  soon  threw  aside  the 
journal  in  order  to  rise,  ligh*  a  cigarette,  and  muster 
sufficient  energy  to  write  a  telegram  accepting  Lord 
Northallerton's  invitation  for  the  following  day. 


A    MYSTERIOUS    CRIME  13 

He  was  on  the  point  of  reaching  for  a  telegraph 
form  when  Smith  entered  with  a  card.  It  bore  the 
name  and  address — 

"  The  Earl  of  Fairholme,  Stanhope  Gate.*' 

"  Curious,"  thought  Brett.  "  Where  is  his  lord- 
ship ?  "  he  said  aloud — "  at  the  door,  or  in  the 
street  ?  " 

(His  flat  was  on  the  second  floor.) 

"  In  a  keb,  sir." 

"  Bring  his  lordship  up." 

A  rapid  glance  at  "  Debrett "  revealed  that  the 
Earl  of  Fairholme  was  thirty,  unmarried,  the  four- 
teenth of  his  line,  and  the  possessor  of  country  seats 
at  Fairholme,  Warwickshire,  and  Glen  Spey,  In- 
verness. 

The  earl  entered,  an  athletic,  well-groomed  man, 
one  whose  lines  were  usually  cast  in  pleasant  places, 
but  who  was  now  in  an  unwonted  state  of  flurry  and 
annoyance. 

Each  man  was  favourably  impressed  by  the  other. 
His  lordship  produced  an  introductory  card,  and 
Brett  was  astonished  to  find  that  it  bore  the 
name  of  the  Under-Secretary  of  State  for  Foreign 
Affairs. 

"  I  have  come "  commenced  his  lordship 

hesitatingly. 

But  the  barrister  broke  in.  "  You  have  had  a 
bad  night,  Lord  Fairholme.  You  wish  for  a  long 
and  comfortable  chat.  Now,  won't  you  start  with 
a  whiskey  and  soda,  light  a  cigar,  and  draw  an  easy 
chair  near  the  fire  ?  " 

"  Ton  my  honour,  Mr.  Brett,  you  begin  well. 
You  give  me  confidence.  Those  are  the  first 
cheerful  words  I  have  heard  during  twenty-four 
hours.*' 


14         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

The  earl  was  easily  manoeuvred  into  a  strong  light. 
Then  he  made  a  fresh  start. 

"  You  have  doubtless  heard  of  this  Albert  Gate 
affair,  Mr.  Brett  ?  " 

"  You  mean  this  ?  "  said  the  other,  rising  and 
handing  to  his  visitor  the  longer  paragraph  of  the 
two  he  had  selected  from  the  newspaper. 

"  That  is  very  curious,"  said  the  earl,  momentarily 
startled.  But  he  was  too  preoccupied  by  his 
thoughts  to  pay  much  heed  to  the  incident.  He  merely 
glanced  at  the  cutting  and  went  on  : 

"Yes,  that  is  it.  Well,  Edith— Miss  Talbot,  I 
mean — vows  that  she  won't  marry  me  until  this 
beastly  business  is  cleared  up.  Of  course,  we  all 
know  that  Jack  didn't  slope  with  the  diamonds. 
He's  tied  up  or  dead,  for  sure.  But — no  matter 
what  may  have  become  of  him  —  why  the  dickens 
that  should  stop  Edith  from  marrying  me  is  more 
than  I  can  fathom.  Just  look  at  some  of  the  women 
in  Society.  They  don't  leave  it  to  their  relatives 
to  be  mixed  up  in  a  scandal,  I  can  tell  you. 
Still,  there  you  are.  Edith  is  jolly  clever  and 
awfully  determined,  so  you've  got  to  find  him, 
Mr.  Brett.  Dead  or  alive,  he  must  be  found,  and 
cleared." 

"  He  shall,"  said  Brett,  gazing  into  the  fire. 

The  quiet,  self-reliant  voice  steadied  the  young 
peer.  He  checked  an  imminent  flow  of  words, 
picked  up  the  newspaper  slip  again,  and  this  time 
tead  it. 

Then  he  blushed. 

"  You  must  think  me  very  stupid,  Mr.  Brett,  to 
burst  out  in  such  a  manner  when  you  probably 
have  never  heard  of  the  people  I  am  talking 
about." 

"  You  will  tell  me,  Lord  Fairholme,  if  you  get 


A    MYSTERIOUS   CRIME  15 

quietly  to  work  and  try  to  speak,  so  far  as  you  find 
it  possible,  in  chronological  sequence." 

His  lordship  knitted  his  brows  and  smoked  in 
silence.  At  last  he  found  utterance. 

"  That's  a  good  idea  of  yours.  It  makes  things 
easier.  Well,  first  of  all,  Edith  and  I  became 
engaged.  Edith  is  the  daughter  of  the  late  Admiral 
Talbot.  She  and  Jack,  hsr  brother,  live  with  their 
uncle,  General  Sir  Hubert  Fitzjames,  at  118,  Ulster 
Gardens.  Jack  is  in  the  Foreign  Office ;  he  is  just 
like  Edith,  awfully  clever  and  that  sort  of  thing,  an 
assistant  secretary  I  think  they  call  him.  Now 
we're  getting  on,  aren't  we  ?  " 

"  Splendidly." 

"  That's  all  right.  About  a  month  ago  a  chap 
turns  up  from  Constantinople,  a  kind  of  special  Envoy 
from  the  Sultan,  and  he  explains  to  the  Foreign 
Office  that  he  has  in  his  possession  a  lot  of  uncut 
diamonds  of  terrific  value,  including  one  as  big  as  a 
duck's  egg,  to  which  no  figures  would  give  a  price. 
Do  you  follow  me  ?  " 

"  Each  word." 

"  Good.  Well — I  can't  tell  you  why,  because 
I  don't  know,  and  I  could  not  understand  it  if  I 
did — there  was  some  political  importance  attached 
to  these  gems,  and  the  Sultan  roped  our  Foreign 
Office  into  it.  So  the  Foreign  Office  placed  Jack 
in  charge  of  the  business.  He  fixed  up  the  Envoy  in 
the  house  at  Albert  Gate,  got  a  lot  of  diamond 
cutters  and  machinery  for  him,  gave  him  into  the 
charge  of  all  the  smart  policemen  in  London ;  and 
what  do  you  think  is  the  upshot  ?  " 

"  What  ?  " 

"  The  Envoy,  his  two  secretaries,  and  a  confidential 
servant  were  murdered  the  night  before  last,  the 
diamonds  were  stolen,  and  Jack  has  vanished — 


16         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

absolutely  gone  clean  into  space,  not  a  sign  of  him 
to  be  found  anywhere.  Yesterday  Edith  sends  for 
me,  cries  for  half-an-hour,  tells  me  I'm  the  best 
fellow  that  ever  lived,  and  then  I'm  jiggered  if 
she  didn't  wind  up  by  saying  that  she  couldn't 
marry  me." 

The  Earl  of  Fairholme  was  now  worked  up  to 
fever  heat.  He  would  not  calm  down  for  an  ap- 
preciable period,  so  Brett  resolved  to  try  the  effect 
of  curiosity. 

He  wrote  a  telegram  to  Lord  Northallerton  : — 

"  Very  sorry,  but  I  cannot  leave  town  at  present. 
Please  ask  me  later.  Will  explain  reason  for  post- 
ponement when  we  meet." 

He  had  touched  the  dominant  note  in  man- 
kind. 

"  Surely  !  "  cried  the  earl,  "  you  have  not  already 
decided  upon  a  course  of  action  ?  " 

"  Not  exactly.  I  am  wiring  to  postpone  a  shoot- 
ing fixture." 

"  What  a  beastly  shame  !  "  exclaimed  the  other, 
in  whom  the  sporting  instinct  was  at  once  aroused. 
"  I'm  awfully  sorry  my  affairs  should  interfere  with 
your  arrangements  in  this  way." 

"  Not  a  bit,"  cried  Brett.  "  I  make  it  a  sacred 
rule  of  life  to  put  pleasure  before  business.  I  mean," 
he  explained,  as  a  look  of  bewilderment  crossed  his 
hearer's  face,  "  that  this  quest  of  ours  promises  to  be 
the  most  remarkable  affair  I  have  ever  been  engaged 
in.  That  pleases  me.  Pheasant-shooting  is  a 
serious  business,  governed  by  the  calendar  and 
arranged  by  the  head-keeper." 

An  electric  bell  summoned  Smith.  The  barrister 
handed  him  the  telegram  and  a  sovereign. 


A    MYSTERIOUS   CRIME  17 

"  Read  that  message,"  he  said.  "  Ponder  over 
it.  Send  it,  and  give  the  change  of  the  sovereign  to 
Mrs.  Smith's  brother,  with  my  compliments  and 
regrets." 


MEHEMET  ALl'S   NOTE 

THEN  he  turned  to  Lord  Fairholme. 
"  Just  one  question,"  he  said,  "  before  I  send 
you  off  to  bed.  No,  you  must  not  protest.  I  want 
you  to  meet  me  here  this  evening  at  seven,  with 
your  brain  clear  and  your  nerves  restored  by  a  good, 
sound  sleep.  We  will  dine,  here  or  elsewhere,  and 
act  subsequently.  But  at  this  moment  I  want  tc 
know  the  name  of  the  person  most  readily  accessible 
who  can  tell  me  all  about  Mr.  Talbot's  connection 
with  the  Sultan's  agent." 

"  His  sister,  undoubtedly." 

"  Where  can  I  find  her  ?  " 

"  At  Ulster  Gardens.     I  will  drive  you  there." 

The  barrister  smiled.  "  You  are  going  to  bed,  I 
tell  you.  Give  me  a  few  lines  of  introduction  to 
Miss  Talbot." 

The  earl's  face  had  brightened  at  the  prospect  of 
meeting  his  fiancee  under  the  favourable  conditions 
of  Brett's  presence.  But  he  yielded  with  good  grace, 
and  promptly  sat  down  to  write  a  brief  note  ex- 
planatory of  the  barrister's  identity  and  position 
in  the  inquiry. 

The  two  parted  at  the  door,  and  a  hansom  rapidly 


MEHEMET   ALPS   NOTE  19 

brought  Brett  to  the  residence  of  Sir  Hubert  Fitz- 
james. 

A  stately  footman  took  Reggie's  card  and  its  ac- 
companying letter,  placed  them  on  a  salver  with  a 
graceful  turn  of  his  wrist,  which  oddly  suggested  a 
similar  turn  in  his  nose,  and  said  : 

"  Miss  Talbot  is  not  at  home,  sir." 

"  Yes,  she  is,"  answered  Brett,  paying  the  driver 
of  the  hansom. 

The  footman  deigned  to  exhibit  astonishment. 
Here  was  a  gentleman — one  obviously  accustomed 
to  the  manners  of  Society — who  declined  to  ac- 
cept the  courteous  disclaimer  of  an  unexpected 
visit. 

"  Miss  Tablot  is  not  receiving  visitors,"  he  ex- 
plained. 

"  Exactly.  Take  that  card  and  the  letter  to  Miss 
Talbot  and  bring  me  the  answer." 

Jeames  was  no  match  for  his  antagonist.  He 
silently  showed  the  way  into  a  reception  room  and 
disappeared.  A  minute  later  he  announced,  with 
much  deference,  that  Miss  Talbot  would  see  Mr. 
Brett  in  the  library,  and  he  conducted  this  mysterious 
visitor  upstairs. 

On  rejoining  Buttons  in  the  hall  he  solemnly 
observed  : 

"  That's  a  swell  cop  who  is  with  the  missus — 
shining  topper,  button-hole,  buckskin  gloves,  patent 
leathers,  all  complete.  Footmen  ain't  in  it  with  the 
force,  nowadays." 

Jeames  expanded  his  magnificent  waistcoat  with  a 
heavy  sigh  over  this  philosophical  dictum,  the 
poignancy  of  which  was  enhanced  by  his  knowledge 
that  the  upper  housemaid  had  taken  to  conversing 
with  a  mounted  policeman  in  the  Park  during  her 
afternoons  off. 


20    THE  ALBERT  GATE  AFFAIR 

The  apartment  in  which  Brett  found  himself  gave 
ready  indications  of  the  character  of  its  tenants. 
Tod's  "  Rajasthan  "  jostled  a  volume  of  the  Bad- 
minton Library  on  the  bookshelves,  a  copy  of  the 
Allahabad  Pioneer  lay  beside  the  Field  and  the 
Times  on  the  table,  and  many  varieties  of  horns 
made  trophies  with  quaint  weapons  on  the 
walls. 

A  complete  edition  of  Ruskin,  and  some  exquisite 
prints  of  Rossetti's  best  known  works,  supplied  a 
different  set  of  emblems,  whilst  the  room  generally 
showed  signs  of  daily  occupation. 

"  Anglo-Indian  uncle,  artistic  niece,"  was  the 
barrister's  rapid  comment,  but  further  analysis 
was  prevented  by  the  entrance  of  Miss  Edith 
Talbot. 

The  surprise  of  the  pair  was  mutual. 

Brett  expected  to  see  a  young,  pretty  and  clever 
girl,  vain  enough  to  believe  she  had  brains,  and 
sufficiently  well  endowed  with  that  rare  commodity 
to  be  able  to  twist  the  good-natured  Earl  of  Fair- 
holme  round  her  little  finger. 

Young,  not  more  than  twenty — unquestionably 
beautiful,  with  the  graceful  contour  and  delicately- 
balanced  features  of  a  portrait  by  Romney — Edith 
Talbot  bore  few  of  the  marks  that  pass  current  as  the 
outward  and  visible  signs  of  a  modern  woman  of 
Society.  That  she  should  be  self-possessed  and 
dressed  in  perfect  taste  were  as  obvious  adjuncts 
of  her  character  as  that  each  phase  of  her  clear 
thought  should  reflect  itself  in  a  singularly  mobile 
face. 

To  such  a  woman  pretence  was  impossible,  the 
polite  fictions  of  fashionable  life  impossible.  Brett 
readily  understood  why  the  Earl  of  Fairholme 
had  fallen  in  Icve  with  this  fair  creature.  He 


MEHEMET   ALPS   NOTE  31 

had  simply  bent  in  worship  before  a  goddess   of 
his  own  creed. 

To  the  girl,  Brett  was  equally  a  revelation. 

Fairholme's  introductory  note  described  the 
barrister  as  "  the  smartest  criminal  lawyer  in  London 
— one  whose  aid  would  be  invaluable."  She  ex- 
pected to  meet  a  sharp-featured,  wizened,  elderly 
man,  with  gold-rimmed  eye-glasses,  a  queer  voice 
and  a  nasty  habit  of  asking  unexpected  ques- 
tions. 

In  place  of  this  commonplace  personality,  she  en- 
countered a  handsome,  well-groomed  gentleman — 
one  who  won  confidence  by  his  intellectual  face, 
and  retained  it  by  invisibly  establishing  a  social 
equality.  Fortunately,  there  is  yet  in  Britain  an 
aristocracy  wherein  good  birth  is  synonymous 
with  good  breeding — a  freemasonry  whose  pass- 
words cannot  be  simulated,  nor  its  membership 
bought. 

Brett  read  the  wonder  in  the  girl's  eyes,  and 
hastened  to  explain. 

"  The  Earl  of  Fairholme,"  said  Brett,  "  thought 
I  might  be  of  some  service  in  the  matter  of  your 
brother's  strange  disappearance,  Miss  Talbot.  I  am 
not  a  professional  detective,  but  my  friends  are 
good  enough  to  believe  that  I  am  very  successful  in 
unravelling  mysteries  that  are  beyond  the  ken  of 
Scotland  Yard.  I  have  heard  something  of  the 
facts  in  this  present  affair.  Will  you  trust  me 
so  far  as  to  tell  me  all  that  is  known  to  you  per 
sonally  ?  " 

"  My  uncle,  General  Fitzjames,  has  just  gone  to 
Scotland  Yard,"  she  began,  timidly. 

"Quite  so.  Perhaps  you  prefer  to  await  his 
return  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no,  I  do  not  mean  that.    But  it  is  so  hard 


22         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

to  know  how  best  to  act.  Uncle  expects  the  police 
to  accomplish  impossibilities.  He  says  that  they 
should  long  since  have  found  out  what  has  be- 
come of  Jack.  Perhaps  they  may  resent  my  inter- 
ference." 

"  My  interference,  to  be  exact,"  said  Reggie,  with 
the  pleasant  smile  that  had  fascinated  so  many 
women.  Even  Edith  Talbot  was  not  wholly  proof 
against  its  magic. 

"  I,  personally,  have  little  faith  in  them,"  she 
confessed. 

"  I  have  none." 

"  Well,  I  will  do  as  you  advise." 

"  Then  I  recommend  you  to  take  me  into  your 
confidence.  I  know  Scotland  Yard  and  its  methods. 
We  do  not  follow  the  same  path." 

"  I  believe  in  you  and  trust  you,"  said  the  girl. 

So  ingenuous  was  the  look  from  the  large,  deep 
eyes  which  accompanied  this  declaration  of  confi- 
dence, that  many  men  would  have  pronounced 
Miss  Talbot  to  be  an  experienced  flirt.  Brett 
knew  better.  He  simply  bowed  his  acknowledge- 
ments. 

"  What  is  it  that  you  want  to  know  ?  "  she  con- 
tinued. "  We  ourselves  are  no  better  informed 
than  the  newspapers  as  to  what  has  actually 
happened,  save  that  four  men  have  been  killed  as 
the  result  of  a  carefully-planned  robbery.  As  for 
my  brother " 

She  paused  and  strove  hard  to  force  back  her 
tears. 

"  Your  brother  has  simply  vanished,  Miss  Talbot. 
If  the  criminals  did  not  scruple  to  leave  four  dead 
men  behind,  they  would  not  draw  the  line  at  a  fifth. 
The  clear  inference  i§  that  your  brother  is  alive, 
but  under  restraint." 


MEHEMET   ALPS   NOTE  23 

"  I  can  see  that  it  is  possible  he  was  alive  until 
some  time  after  the  tragedy  at  Albert  Gate.  But 
— but — what  connection  can  Jack  have  with  the 
theft  of  diamonds  worth  millions  ?  These  people 
used  him  as  their  tool  in  some  manner.  Why  should 
they  spare  him  when  success  had  crowned  their 
efforts  ?  " 

"  We  are  conversing  in  riddles.  Will  you  ex- 
plain ?  " 

"  You  know  that  my  brother  is  an  assistant 
Under-Secretary  in  the  Foreign  Office  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Well,  early  in  September,  his  chief  placed  him 
in  charge  of  a  special  undertaking.  The  Sultan  had 
decided  to  have  a  large  number  of  rough  diamonds 
cut  and  polished  by  the  best  European  experts. 
They  were  all  magnificent  gems,  exceedingly  valu- 
able it  seems,  being  rare  both  in  size  and  purity ; 
but  one  of  them  was  larger  than  any  known  diamond. 
Jack  told  me  it  was  quite  as  big  as  a  good-sized  hen's 
egg.  Both  it  and  the  others,  he  said,  had  the  appear- 
ance of  lumps  of  alum;  but  the  experts  said  that 
the  smaller  stones  were  worth  more  than  a  million 
sterling,  whilst  the  price  of  the  large  one  could  not 
be  fixed.  No  one  but  an  Emperor  or  Sultan  would 
buy  it.  His  Excellency  Mehemet  Ali  Pasha  was 
the  especial  envoy  charged  with  this  mission,  and 
he  brought  credentials  to  the  Foreign  Office  asking 
for  facilities  to  be  given  for  its  execution.  He  and  the 
two  secretaries  who  accompanied  him  have  been 
killed." 

"  Yes  ?  "  said  Brett,  whose  eyes  were  fixed  in- 
tently on  the  hearthrug. 

"  Jack  was  given  the  special  duty  of  looking  after 
Mehemet  Ali  and  his  companions  during  their  resi- 
dence in  London.  It  was  his  business  to  afford  them. 


24         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

every  assistance  in  his  power,  to  procure  them  police 
protection,  obtain  for  them  the  best  advice  attain- 
able in  the  diamond  trade,  and  generally  place  at 
their  disposal  all  the  resources  which  the  British 
Government  itself  could  command  if  it  undertook 
such  a  curious  task.  He  had  been  with  them  about 
a  month — not  hourly  engaged,  you  understand,  as 
once  the  preliminary  arrangements  were  made,  he 
had  little  further  trouble — but  he  used  to  call  there 
every  morning  and  afternoon  to  see  if  he  could 
render  any  assistance.  Matters  had  progressed  so 
favourably  until  the  day  before  yesterday,  that  in 
another  month  he  hoped  to  see  the  last  of  them. 
He  was  always  saying  that  he  would  be  glad  when 
the  business  was  ended,  as  he  did  not  like  to  be 
officially  connected  with  the  fate  of  a  few  little 
bits  of  stone  that  happened  to  be  so  immensely 
valuable." 

"  Did  your  brother  call  there  as  usual  on  Monday 
afternoon  ?  "  said  Brett. 

"  Yes  ;  he  came  straight  here  from  Albert  Gate, 
and  had  tea  with  uncle  and  myself.  He  sat  in  the 
very  chair  and  in  the  very  position  you  now  occupy. 
I  can  remember  him  saying  :  '  By  jove  !  the  hen's 
egg' — that  is  what  he  used  to  call  the  big  diamond — 
'  is  turning  out  in  fine  style.'  He  even  discussed 
the  possibility  of  bringing  us  to  see  the  collection 
when  it  was  finished  and  before  it  left  this 
country." 

"  Did  your  brother  say  why  the  diamonds 
were  brought  to  this  country  in  the  first  in- 
stance ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  the  Sultan  and  his  advisers  seemed  to 
think  the  work  of  cutting  them  could  be  performed 
more  safely  and  expeditiously  here  than  anywhere 
else.  Even  the  Turk  has  a  high  regard  for  the 


MEHEMET   ALPS    NOTE  25 

manner  in  which  law  and  order  are  maintained  in 
Britain.  Yet  the  sequel  has  shown  that  the 
diamonds  and  their  guardians  were  perhaps  in 
greater  danger  here  than  they  would  have  been  in 
Constantinople." 

"  Was  that  the  only  reason  ?  "  said  Brett,  who 
had  apparently  made  up  his  mind  with  reference 
to  the  pattern  of  the  carpet,  and  was  now  gazing 
into  the  bright  fire  which  danced  merrily  in  the 
grate,  for  the  day  though  fine  was  chilly. 

The  girl  wrinkled  her  brows  in  thought  before  she 
answered  :  "  I  think  I  do  remember  Jack  saying 
that  he  believed  there  was  some  State  business 
mixed  up  in  the  affair,  but  I  am  quite  sure  he  did 
not  know  the  exact  facts  himself." 

"  Can  you  recollect  any  of  the  special  precautions 
taken  to  protect  the  gems  ?  Your  brother  may 
have  mentioned  some  details  in  conversation,  you 
know." 

"  Oh,  I  think  I  know  all  about  them.  In  the 
first  instance,  the  house  at  Albert  Gate  had 
previously  been  tenanted  by  a  rich  banker,  and  it 
was  well  defended  by  all  ordinary  means  against 
the  attacks  of  ordinary  burglars.  But,  in  addition 
to  this,  before  the  diamonds  left  the  safe  at  the 
Bank  of  England,  the  building  was  practically  torn 
to  pieces  inside  by  workmen  acting  under  the 
direction  of  the  Commissioner  of  Police.  It  was 
absolutely  impossible  for  anyone  to  enter  except 
through  the  front  door,  unless  they  flew  out  of  the 
second  storey  window.  Servants  and  workmen, 
like  everybody  else,  had  to  use  this  door  alone,  as 
the  windows  and  doors  in  the  basement  had  all 
been  bricked  up.  Inside  the  entrance-hall  there 
were  always  twelve  policemen,  and  an  inspector 
in  charge. 


26         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  Every  one  who  left  the  house  was  searched  by 
the  inspector  on  duty,  and  Jack  used  to  say  that  he 
was  very  glad  he  invariably  insisted  upon  this  ex- 
amination, although  the  police  were  at  first  dis- 
inclined to  meet  his  wishes  in  the  matter,  he  being, 
so  to  speak,  their  direct  superior  for  the  time. 
Beneath  the  entrance-hall  were  rooms  occupied  by 
several  Turkish  and  other  servants.  Mehemet  Ali 
himself,  in  the  presence  of  his  secretaries,  used  to 
open  the  door  leading  to  the  suite  of  apartments  in 
which  the  diamond  cutters  worked,  and  two  of  the 
Turkish  gentlemen  would  remain  there  all  day  until 
the  men  left  in  the  evening.  The  Envoy  and  both 
secretaries  used  to  meet  Jack  when  he  visited  the 
place,  and  for  the  last  three  weeks  he  had  nothing  to 
do  but  see  the  diamonds,  count  them,  drink  an 
excellent  cup  of  coffee,  and  smoke  a  wonderful 
cigarette,  made  'of  some  special  Turkish  tobacco, 
cultivated  and  prepared  only  for  the  Imperial 
household." 

"  Ah ! "  sighed  Brett,  with  a  note  of  almost 
unconscious  envy  in  his  voice.  He  knew  exactly 
what  that  coffee  and  those  cigarettes  would  be  like. 
"  I  beg  your  pardon,"  he  went  on,  perceiving  that 
Miss  Talbot  did  not  understand  his  exclamation. 
"  Will  you  tell  me  as  nearly  as  you  can  the  occur- 
rences of  Monday  evening  ?  " 

"  They  were  simple  enough,"  said  the  girl.  "  My 
brother  dined  at  home.  We  had  one  or  two  guests, 
and  were  all  in  the  drawing  room  about  10  15, 
when  a  note  came  for  him  from  Mehemet  Ah".  I 
know  exactly  what  was  in  it.  I  looked  over  his 
shoulder  whilst  he  read  it.  The  words  were  :  *  I 
wish  to  see  you  to-night  on  important  business. 
Come,  if  possible,  at  once.'  I  have  to  tell  you  that 
it  was  in  French,  but  this  is  an  exact  translation." 


MEHEMET   ALPS   NOTE  27 

"  Your  brother  was  quite  sure  that  it  was  from 
Mehemet  Ali  himself  ?  "  said  Brett. 

"  Quite  sure,"  was  the  reply.  "  He  knew  his  hand- 
writing well,  having  had  several  communications 
from  him  during  the  progress  of  the  business." 

"  Did  your  brother  leave  the  house  imme- 
diately ? "  asked  Brett. 

"  That  instant.  He  went  downstairs,  put  on  his 
overcoat  and  hat,  and  got  into  a  cab  with  the 
messenger  who  brought  the  note." 

"  Do  you  know  who  this  messenger  was  ?  " 

"  One  of  the  policemen  on  duty  in  the  house 
itself." 

A  slight  pause  ensued,  and  Brett  was  about  to 
take  his  departure,  having  no  further  questions  to 
ask  at  the  moment,  when  some  one  was  heard 
hastily  ascending  the  stairs,  talking  to  a  companion 
as  he  advanced. 

'*  This  is  my  uncle,"  exclaimed  Miss  Talbot,  rising 
to  go  to  the  door.  Before  she  could  reach  it  an 
elderly  gentleman  entered,  bearing  upon  him  all 
those  distinguishing  tokens  that  stamp  a  man  as  a 
retired  major-general. 

He   exclaimed  impetuously — 

"  I  have  brought  a  gentleman  from  Scotland 
Yard,  my  dear,"  Then  he  caught  sight  of  Brett. 
"  Who  is  this  ?  " 

Edith  was  about  to  explain,  when  another  man 
entered — a  strongly-built,  bullet-headed  man,  with 
keen  eyes  and  firm  mouth,  and  a  curious  suggestion 
in  his  appearance  of  having  combined  pugilism  with 
process-serving  as  a  professional  means  of  existence. 
His  face  extended  into  a  smile  when  his  eyes  fell  upon 
the  barrister. 

"  Ah,  Mr.  Brett,"  he  cried.  "  Now  we  have 
something  to  do  that  is  up  to  your  mark.  You  are 


28         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

on  the  spot  first,  as  usual,  but  this  time  I  can 
honestly  say  that  I  am  glad  to  see  you." 

Sir  Hubert  Fitzjames  glanced  in  astonishment 
from  his  niece  to  the  barrister.  He  could  find 
nothing  better  to  say  than — 

"  This,  my  dear,  is  Mr.  Winter,  of  Scotland 
Yard." 


CHAPTER  III 

WHAT  THE  POLICE  SAW 

BRETT  promptly  cleared  the  situation  by  ex- 
plaining to  Sir  Hubert,  in  a  few  words,  the 
reason  for  his  unexpected  presence,  and  when  the 
Major-General  learnt  the  name  of  the  distinguished 
personage  who  had  sent  Lord  Fairholme  to  the 
barrister  he  expressed  a  ready  acquiescence  in  the 
desire  to  utilise  his  services.  Nor  was  the  effect  of 
such  a  notable  introduction  lost  on  Mr.  Winter, 
whose  earlier  knowledge  of  the  barrister's  remark- 
able achievements  in  unravelling  the  tangled  skein 
of  criminal  investigation  was  now  supplemented  be 
a  certain  amount  of  awe  for  a  man  who  commanded 
the  confidence  of  His  Majesty's  Government. 

"  Well,"  said  Sir  Hubert  Fitzjames,  with  the 
brisk  animation  of  one  accustomed  to  utter  com- 
mands that  must  be  instantly  obeyed,  "  we  will  now 
proceed  to  business." 

For  the  moment  no  one  spoke.  The  Scotland 
Yard  detective  evidently  wished  his  distinguished 
colleague  to  take  the  lead.  No  sooner  did  Brett 
perceive  this  than  he  rose,  bowed  politely  to  Miss 
Talbot  and  her  uncle,  and  said — 

"  The  first  thing  to  do  is  to  trace  the  whereabouts 


3©         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

of  Mr.  Talbot,  and  this  should  be  a  comparatively 
easy  task.  The  other  features  of  this  strange 
occurrence  impress  me  as  highly  complex,  but  it  is 
far  too  early  a  stage  in  the  investigation  to  permit 
any  definite  opinion  being  expressed  at  this  moment." 

Every  one  seemed  to  be  surprised  by  Brett's 
attitude. 

"  Where  are  you  going  to,  sir  ?  "  asked  Mr. 
Winter. 

"  That  depends  largely  upon  you,"  was  the 
smiling  reply.  "  If  you  come  with  me  we  will  go 
direct  to  Albert  Gate,  but  if  you  decide  to  prosecute 
further  inquiries  here,  I  will  await  your  arrival  at 
my  flat." 

"  That  is  as  much  as  saying  that  there  are  no  facts 
worth  inquiring  into  to  be  learnt  here  ?  " 

"  Exactly  so.  Miss  Talbot  has  told  me  all  that 
is  material  to  our  purpose.  Her  brother  was  un- 
expectedly sent  for  after  dinner  on  Monday  night, 
and  left  the  house  hurriedly,  without  affording  any 
clue  to  his  subsequent  proceedings  beyond  that  con- 
tained in  a  brief  note  sent  to  him  by  Mehemet  AH 
Pasha.  Indeed,  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  afford 
any  explanation,  as  he  himself  was  quite  unprepared 
for  the  summons.  Meanwhile,  every  moment  lost 
in  the  endeavour  to  follow  up  his  movements  is 
precious  time  wasted." 

The  barrister's  manner,  no  less  than  his  words, 
impressed  Mr.  Winter  so  greatly  that  he  too  rose 
from  the  seat  which  he  had  occupied,  with  the  in- 
tention of  conducting  a  long  and  careful  examination 
of  each  member  of  the  household. 

"  Then  I  will  come  with  you  at  once,"  he  said. 

"  Oh,"  cried  the  Major-General,  "  I  understood 
you  to  say  as  we  came  here  that  there  were  many 
questions  which  required  immediate  inquiry  in  this 


WHAT   THE   POLICE   SAW  31 

house,  on  the  principle  that  the  movements  of  the 
missing  man  should  be  minutely  traced  from  the 
very  commencement." 

Mr.  Winter  looked  somewhat  confused,  but  Edith 
Talbot  broke  in — 

"  I  think,  uncle  dear,  it  would  be  well  to  defer  to 
Mr.  Brett's  judgment." 

"  Do  you  really  believe,"  she  said,  turning  to  the 
barrister,  "  that  you  will  soon  be  able  to  find  my 
brother  ?  " 

"  I  am  quite  sure  of  it,"  he  replied,  and  the  con- 
viction in  his  tone  astonished  the  professional  detec- 
tive, whilst  it  carried  a  message  of  hope  to  the  others. 
Even  Sir  Hubert,  for  some  reason  which  he  could 
not  explain,  suddenly  experienced  a  strong  sense 
of  confidence  in  this  reserved,  distinguished-looking 
man.  He  stepped  forward  eagerly  and  held  out 
his  hand,  saying — 

"  Then  we  will  not  detain  you,  Mr.  Brett.  Act 
as  you  think  fit  in  all  things,  but  do  let  us  have  all 
possible  information  at  the  earliest  moment.  The 
suspense  and  uncertainty  of  the  present  position  of 
affairs  are  terribly  trying  to  my  niece  and  myself." 
The  old  soldier  spoke  with  dignity  and  composure, 
but  his  lips  quivered,  and  the  anguish  in  his  eyes 
was  pitiful. 

Brett  and  Mr.  Winter  quitted  the  house ;  they 
hailed  a  hansom,  and  drove  rapidly  towards  Albert 
Gate. 

"  Do  you  know,"  said  the  man  from  Scotland 
Yard,  breaking  in  on  his  companion's  reverie,  "  you 
surprised  me  by  what  you  said  just  now,  Mr. 
Brett  ?  " 

"  I  thought  you  were  too  old  a  hand  to  be  sur- 
prised at  anything,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Oh,  come  now,  you  know  wdl  enough  what  I 


32          THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

mean.  You  said  you  though*  it  would  be  a  com- 
paratively simple  matter  to  find  Mr.  Talbot,  whilst 
the  other  features  of  the  crime  are  very  complex. 
Now  the  affair,  thus  far,  impresses  me  as  being  the 
exact  opposite  to  that  statement.  The  crime  is 
simple  enough.  A  clever  gang  of  thieves  get  into 
the  place  by  working  some  particularly  cool  and 
daring  confidence  game.  They  don't  hesitate  at 
murder  to  cover  up  their  tracks,  and  they  make 
away  with  the  plunder  under  the  very  noses  of  the 
police.  All  this  may  be  smart  and  up-to-date  in  its 
methods,  but  it  is  not  unusual.  The  difficult  ques- 
tion to  my  mind  is,  what  have  they  done  with  Mr. 
Talbot,  and  how  did  they  succeed  in  fooling  him  so 
completely  as  to  make  him  what  one  might  almost 
call  a  party  to  the  transaction  ?  " 

The  barrister  pulled  out  a  cigar-case. 

"  Try  one  of  these,  Winter,"  he  said.  "  You  will 
find  them  soothing." 

"  I  never  smoke  whilst  on  business,"  was  the  testy 
reply. 

"  I  invariably  do,"  He  proceeded  to  light  a 
cigar,  which  he  smoked  with  zest. 

"  I  do  not  know  how  it  is,"  went  on  Mr.  Winter, 
"but  whenever  I  happen  to  meet  you,  Mr.  Brett, 
in  the  course  of  an  inquiry,  I  always  start  by  being 
very  angry  with  you." 

"  Why  ?  "  There  was  an  amused  twinkle  in 
Brett's  eyes,  which  might  have  warned  the  other 
of  a  possible  pitfall. 

"  Because  you  treat  me  as  if  I  were  a  precocious 
youth.  You  listen  to  my  theories  with  a  sort  of 
pitying  indulgence,  yet  I  have  the  reputation  of 
being  one  of  the  best  men  in  Scotland  Yard,  or  I 
should  not  have  been  put  on  this  job.  And  I  am 
older  than  you,  too." 


WHAT   THE   POLICE   SAW  33 

"  I  may  surely  pity  you,"  said  Brett,  "  even  if 
I  don't  indulge  you  too  much." 

"There  you  go  again,"  snapped  the  detective. 
"  Now,  what  is  there  silly  about  my  theory  of  the 
crime,  I  should  like  to  know." 

"  You  shall  know,  and  before  you  are  much  older. 
Bear  with  me  for  a  little  while,  I  beg  of  you.  You 
may  be  right,  and  I  may  be  quite  wrong,  but  I  think 
there  is  much  beneath  the  surface  in  the  investiga- 
tions we  are  now  pursuing.  My  advice  to  you  is  to 
drop  all  preconceived  theories,  to  note  every  cir- 
cumstance, however  remote  it  may  appear  in  its 
bearing  upon  events,  and  in  any  case  not  to  act 
precipitately.  Whatever  you  do,  don't  arrest  any- 
body." 

"  But,"  said  the  other,  somewhat  mollified  by 
Brett's  earnestness,  "  half  a  dozen  people  may  be 
arrested  at  any  moment." 

"  Pray  tell  me  how  ?  " 

"  Descriptions  of  the  stolen  diamonds  and  of 
the  suspected  persons  are  in  every  police  office  in 
Great  Britain  and  in  most  Continental  centres  by 
this  time.  Passengers  by  all  steamers  are  most 
carefully  scrutinised.  Every  pawnbroker  and 
diamond  merchant  in  the  country  is  on  the  look-out, 
and,  generally  speaking,  it  will  be  odd  if  somebody 
does  not  drop  into  the  net  before  many  hours  have 
passed." 

"  It  will,  indeed,"  murmured  Brett ;  "  and  no 
doubt  the  somebody  in  question  will  experience  a 
certain  amount  of  inconvenience  before  he  proves 
to  you  that  he  had  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  the 
matter.  Now,  don't  answer  me,  Winter,  but 
ponder  seriously  over  this  question  :  Do  you  really 
think  that  the  intelligence  which  planned  and  suc- 
cessfully carried  through  an  operation  of  such 


34         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

magnitude  will  be  trapped  by  plain-clothes  con- 
stables watching  the  gangways  of  steamships,  or 
by  any  pawnbroker  who  has  ever  lent  half  the  value 
of  a  pledge  ?  " 

Almost  impatiently  the  barrister  waved  the 
subject  out  of  the  hansom,  and  the  detective  had 
sense  enough  to  leave  him  alone  during  the  few  re- 
maining minutes  before  the  vehicle  pulled  up  near 
the  Albert  Gate  mansion. 

Brett  stopped  the  driver  some  little  distance  short 
of  the  house  itself,  as  he  did  not  wish  to  attract 
the  attention  of  a  knot  of  curious  sightseers  in  the 
street.  He  asked  Winter  to  precede  him  and  make 
known  the  fact  that  he  was  coming,  so  that  there 
would  be  no  delay  at  the  door.  This  the  detective 
readily  agreed  to,  and  Brett  rapidly  took  in  the  main 
external  features  of  the  house  which  had  become 
the  scene  of  such  a  remarkable  tragedy. 

It  was  a  palatial  structure,  built  on  the  sombre 
lines  of  the  Early  Victorian  period.  Miss  Talbot's 
brief  description  of  the  measures  taken  to  protect 
its  occupants  from  interference  was  fully  borne  out 
by  its  aspect.  There  was  no  access  to  the  basement ; 
the  main  entrance  was  situated  at  the  side  ;  all  the 
ground-floor  and  first-storey  windows  facing  into 
the  street  were  fitted  with  immovable  wooden 
Venetians.  Presumably  those  on  the  Park  side 
were  similarly  secured,  whilst  the  back  wall  abutted 
on  to  that  of  another  mansion,  equally  large  and 
strongly  built,  tenanted  by  a  well-known  peer. 

Truly,  it  required  a  genius  almost  unrivalled  in 
the  annals  of  crime  to  murder  four  people  and 
steal  diamonds  worth  millions  in  such  a  place  whilst 
guarded  by  twelve  London  policemen  and  under 
the  special  protection  of  the  Home  Office. 

The  appearance  of  Winter  at  the  door  caused 


WHAT   THE   POLICE   SAW  35 

the  gaping  idlers  in  the  street  to  endeavour  to  draw 
nearer  to  the  mysterious  portals.  Thereupon  three 
policemen  on  duty  outside  hustled  the  mob  back, 
and  Brett  took  advantage  of  the  confusion  thus 
created  to  slip  to  the  doorway  almost  unperceived. 
One  of  the  police  constables  turned  round  to  make 
a  grab  at  him,  but  a  signal  from  a  confrere  inside 
prevented  this,  and  Brett  quickly  found  himself 
within  a  spacious  entrance  hall  with  the  door  closed 
and  bolted  behind  him. 

Winter  was  talking  to  two  uniformed  inspectors, 
to  whom  he  had  explained  the  barrister's  mission 
and  credentials. 

"  We  have  here,  Mr.  Brett,"  he  said,  "  Inspector 
Walters,  who  was  on  duty  until  ten  o'clock  on 
Monday  night,  and  Inspector  Sharpe,  who  relieved 
him.  They  will  both  tell  you  exactly  what  took 
place." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  the  barrister,  "  but  it  will 
expedite  matters  if  you  gentlemen  will  first  accom- 
pany nre  over  the  scene  of  the  crime.  I  will  then 
be  able  to  understand  more  accurately  what  hap- 
pened. Suppose  we  start  here.  I  presume  that 
this  is  where  the  police  guard  was  stationed  ?  " 

Inspector  Walters  assumed  the  role  of  guide. 

"  I  was  in  charge  of  the  first  guard  established  a 
month  ago,"  he  said,  "  and  the  arrangements  I  then 
made  have  been  adhered  to  without  deviation  night 
and  day  ever  since." 

From  the  outer  door  a  short  passage  of  a  few  feet 
led  up  half-a-dozen  steps  into  a  large  reception  room, 
the  entrance  to  which  was  closed  by  a  light  double 
door,  half  glass.  On  both  sides  of  the  first  short 
passage  were  two  small  apartments,  such  as  are 
often  used  in  London  mansions  for  the  purposes  of 
cloak-rooms.  The  doors  from  these  rooms  opened 


36         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

into  the  inner  hall.  A  large  dining-room  was 
situated  on  the  left  or  Park  side,  ana  on  the  right 
was  a  breakfast  or  morning-room.  At  the  back  of 
the  reception  hall  a  handsome  staircase  led  from 
left  to  right  to  the  upper  floors,  whilst  a  doorway 
beneath  the  staircase  gave  access  to  the  kitchens  and 
basement  offices. 

"  Here,"  said  the  inspector,  pointing  to  the  foot 
of  the  staircase,  "  two  police-constables  were  con- 
stantly stationed.  Another  stood  there,"  indicating 
the  passage  to  the  kitchen,  "  and  a  fourth  at  the 
glass  door.  As  the  outer  basement  entrance  was 
not  only  securely  fastened  by  bolts  and  bars,  but 
actually  bricked  up  inside,  it  was  absolutely  im- 
possible for  any  person  to  enter  or  leave  the  house 
save  by  the  front  door,  nor  could  any  one  go  from 
the  kitchen  to  the  upper  part  of  the  house  without 
passing  under  the  observation  of  all  four  constables. 
I  arranged  my  guards  in  military  fashion,  having 
three  men  for  each  post,  with  one  hour  on  duty  and 
two  hours  off,  but  the  same  men  were  never  on 
guard  together  at  definite  hours,  as  they  were  re- 
lieved at  varying  times.  You  will  understand  that  I 
considered  it  a  very  responsible  task  to  safeguard 
these  premises,  and  thought  it  best  to  render  it  im- 
possible for  any  section  of  the  force  under  my  com- 
mand to  take  part  in  a  conspiracy,  although  such  a 
thing  was  in  itself  most  improbable." 

They  then  ascended  the  staircase  and  found 
themselves  on  the  first  floor. 

There  were  six  spacious  apartments  on  this  storey, 
and  all  of  them  had  originally  opened  on  to  the 
landing.  The  special  precautions  taken  to  guard 
the  diamonds  of  the  Turkish  mission  had  altered  all 
that.  Five  doorways  had  been  bricked  up,  the 
result  being  that  admission  to  the  whole  set  of  rooms 


WHAT    THE   POLICE   SAW  37 

oould  only  be  obtained  through  the  first  door  that 
faced  the  top  of  the  staircase. 

This  apartment  was  luxuriously  furnished,  and 
Inspector  Walters  explained  that  the  Turkish 
Envoy  and  his  suite  passed  the  working  hours  of 
each  day  there  after  they  had  personally  thrown 
open  the  other  apartments  to  the  diamond  polishers 
and  unlocked  the  safes  in  which  the  gems  were 
stored,  when  work  ceased  on  the  previous  day. 

"  His  Excellency,"  said  the  inspector,  "  kept  the 
keys  of  this  room  and  the  others,  together  with  those 
of  the  safes,  in  his  own  possession  night  and  day. 
He  slept  upstairs,  and  so  did  the  other  two  gentle- 
men. No  one  was  allowed  to  come  to  this  floor 
except  the  confidential  servant,  named  Hussein, 
who  used  to  bring  coffee,  cigars,  and  newspapers  or 
other  things  the  gentlemen  might  require,  together 
with  their  lunch  in  the  middle  of  the  day.  The 
workmen  brought  their  lunch  with  them,  so  that 
they  came  in  and  out  once  a  day  only." 

"  Where  did  this  confidential  servant  sleep  ?  " 
said  Brett. 

"  I  believe  he  used  to  lie  curled  up  on  the  rug 
outside  his  Excellency's  door." 

"  And  the  other  servants  ?  " 

"  They  all  slept  in  the  basement." 

"  What  were  they,  Turks  or  Christians  ?  " 

"  Well,  sir,"  said  the  inspector  with  a  smile,  "  two 
of  them  were  Turks  in  costume,  whilst  three  were 
Christians  in  appearance.  That  is  the  best  I  can 
say  for  the  Christians,  as  they  were  Frenchmen, 
though  certainly  the  cook  was  a  first-rate  chef.  Of 
course,  we  all  got  our  meals  here  whilst  on  duty." 

"  Did  his  Excellency  and  the  other  members  of 
the  mission  eat  food  prepared  in  the  ordinary 
way  ?  " 


38         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  Oh,  yes ;  they  appreciated  French  dishes  as 
keenly  as  anybody  might  do." 

"  It  was  in  this  room,  then,"  continued  Brett, 
"  that  the  murders  took  place  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  I  suppose  that  must  be  so,"  said  the  in- 
spector. "  But  my  friend  here,"  pointing  to  In- 
spector Sharpe,  "  can  tell  that  part  of  the  story 
better  than  I  can." 

They  passed  into  the  inner  rooms,  which  were 
quite  silent  and  deserted,  and  presented  a  strange 
appearance  considering  the  character  of  the  house 
and  its  locality.  Although  the  ceilings  were 
decorated  with  beautiful  paintings  and  fringed  with 
superbly  emblazoned  mouldings,  although  the  walls 
were  papered  with  material  that  cost  as  much  per 
yard  as  good  silk,  each  apartment  was  occupied 
with  workmen's  benches,  and  curious  devices  for 
cutting  and  polishing  diamonds. 

In  the  first  room  were  two  small  safes,  one  of 
which  was  intended  to  receive  the  gems  under  treat- 
ment at  the  close  of  each  day's  work  ;  the  other 
held  certain  valuable  materials  required  in  the 
diamond  cutter's  operations.  Three  of  the  rooms 
were  on  the  Park  side,  and  it  was  here  that  the 
small  colony  of  skilled  artisans  had  been  installed. 

The  other  two  rooms  were  not  tenanted,  nor  had 
any  communicating  doors  been  broken  through  the 
walls  in  order  to  gain  access  to  them. 

The  windows  of  the  three  apartments  occupied 
by  the  workmen  were  not  only  guarded  by  strong 
iron  bars,  but  possessed  the  additional  security  of 
external  wire  blinds  of  exceedingly  small  mesh. 
Each  window  admitted  plenty  of  light,  and  could 
be  raised  to  allow  a  free  circulation  of  air,  but  it 
was  seemingly  quite  impossible  for  any  active  com- 
munication to  take  place  with  the  outside.  The 


WHAT   THE   POLICE   SAW  39 

three  rooms  looked  out  over  a  small  enclosed  lawn, 
which  was  separated  from  the  park  by  a  brick  wall 
surmounted  by  iron  railings.  All  the  fireplaces 
had  been  closed  with  bricks  and  mortar. 

"  You  will  see,  sir,"  said  the  inspector,  when  he 
had  called  Brett's  attention  to  these  details,  "  that 
mysterious  though  the  murders  were,  they  were  as 
nothing  compared  with  the  disappearance  of  the 
diamonds.  Every  person  who  came  downstairs 
was  most  carefully  and  methodically  searched  each 
time  he  passed  the  constable  on  duty  at  the  bottom. 
It  may  be  admitted  that  a  few  small  stones  could 
be  so  secreted  as  to  escape  observation,  but  some 
of  these  stones  were  so  large  that  such  a  notion  is  not 
to  be  thought  of,  whilst  the  size  of  the  great  diamond 
which  Mr.  Talbot  christened  the  '  Hen's  Egg '  ren- 
dered its  transference  past  the  searchers  beneath 
absolutely  impossible.  There  was  no  humbug  about 
the  search,  you  will  understand,  Mr.  Brett.  People 
had  to  take  their  boots  off,  open  their  mouths,  and 
hand  over  their  hats,  coats,  sticks,  or  umbrellas  for 
inspection.  Every  part  of  their  clothing  was 
scrutinised,  and  the  contents  of  their  pockets,  money, 
watches,  keys,  and  the  rest,  thoroughly  examined. 
These  were  our  orders,  and  they  were  strictly  obeyed, 
Mr.  Talbot  himself  being  the  first  to  insist  that  the 
regulation  should  be  carried  out  rigidly,  so  far  as 
he  was  concerned.  Why,  one  day  a  Cabinet  Minis- 
ter came  here  to  see  the  diamonds.  He  was  elderly 
and  stout,  and  did  not  at  all  like  having  to  take  off 
his  boots,  I  can  assure  you,  as  he  nearly  got  apoplexy 
whilst  lacing  them  up  again." 

During  the  inspector's  running  comments  Brett 
had  carefully  scrutinised  each  of  the  windows.  He 
at  once  came  to  the  conclusion,  by  a  simple  analysis 
of  the  possibilities,  that  bf  no  other  means  than 


40          THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

through  the  barrier  of  iron  wire  had  the  diamonds 
passed  out  of  the  house  ;  but  the  most  thorough 
examination  failed  to  reveal  any  loophole  by  which 
this  achievement  had  been  accomplished.  He 
opened  each  of  the  windows,  tested  every  iron  bar, 
and  saw  that  the  fastenings  of  the  external  blind 
were  undisturbed,  whilst  the  fine  wire  mesh  showed 
no  irregularities  in  its  hexagonal  pattern  wherein 
any  defect  would  at  once  be  visible. 

"  We  have  done  all  that  long  since,  sir,"  said  the 
second  police  officer,  smiling  at  the  obviousness  of 
an  amateur's  method  of  inspection,  for  it  happened 
that  he  had  never  met  the  barrister  before,  though 
he  had  often  heard  of  him. 

"  You  have  ?  "  said  Brett,  with  the  slightest  tinge 
of  sarcasm  in  his  voice.  "  Did  you  do  this  ?  "  and 
he  commenced  to  thump  with  a  clenched  fist  upon 
every  portion  of  the  external  screen  that  he  could 
reach. 

"  No,  we  did  not,"  said  the  policeman,  "  and  I 
don't  see  that  it  is  going  to  accomplish  anything 
except  hurt  your  hand." 

"  That  may  be  so,"  murmured  Brett ;  "  but  the 
diamonds  went  this  way  and  none  other." 

He  tested  every  portion  of  one  window  screen 
in  this  manner  without  effect.  Then  he  approached 
the  second  window,  and,  beginning  at  the  left-hand 
top  corner,  did  the  same  thing.  Suddenly  an  ex- 
clamation came  from  the  three  interested  watchers. 
In  the  centre  of  the  lower  part  of  the  screen  Brett's 
hand  made  a  visible  impression  upon  the  iron  wire. 
Using  no  more  force  than  had  been  applied  to  other 
portions,  the  blow  served  to  tear  a  section  of  the 
blind  about  eight  inches  across.  Instantly  the 
barrister  ceased  operations,  and,  producing  a  pocket- 
microscope,  minutely  examined  the  rent. 


"  I  expected  as  much,"  he  said,  taking  hold  of 
the  torn  part  of  the  screen  and  giving  it  a  vigorous 
pull,  with  the  result  that  a  small  piece,  measuring 
about  eight  inches  by  six,  came  bodily  out.  "  This 
has  been  cut  away,  as  you  will  see,  by  some  instru- 
ment which  did  not  even  bend  the  wire.  It  was 
subsequently  replaced,  whilst  the  fractured  parts 
were  sufficiently  cemented  by  some  composition 
to  retain  this  section  in  its  place,  and  practically 
defy  observation.  There  was  nothing  for  it  but 
force  to  reveal  it  thus  early.  No  doubt  in  time  the 
composition  would  have  dried,  or  been  washed 
away,  and  then  this  bit  of  the  screen  would  have 
fallen  out  by  the  action  of  wind  and  weather.  Here, 
at  any  rate,  is  a  hole  in  your  defensive  armour." 
He  held  out  the  piece  de  conviction  to  the  discomfited 
Sharpe,  who  surveyed  it  in  silence. 

It  was  no  part  of  Brett's  business  in  life,  however, 
to  snatch  plaudits  from  astounded  policemen. 

"  This  is  a  mere  nothing,"  he  continued.  "  Of 
course,  there  must  have  been  some  such  means  of 
getting  the  diamonds  off  the  premises.  Let  us 
return  to  the  ante-room  and  there  you  can  tell  me 
the  exact  history  of  events  on  Monday  evening." 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE   MURDERS 

IN   less   confident   tones    Inspector   Walters   re- 
sumed his  narrative — 

**  On  Monday  evening,  sir,"  he  said,  "  about 
eight  o'clock,  his  Excellency  and  the  two  secretaries 
were  dining  downstairs,  and  matters  had,  thus  far, 
gone  on  with  the  same  routine  as  was  observed 
every  preceding  day.  The  workmen  quitted  work 
at  six  o'clock.  The  three  gentlemen  went  out  for 
a  drive  as  soon  as  everything  was  locked  up,  and 
came  in  again  at  a  quarter  to  eight.  They  did  not 
change  their  clothes  for  dinner,  so  there  was  no 
occasion  to  search  them,  as  no  one  had  gone  up- 
stairs since  they  had  descended  soon  after  six. 
They  had  barely  started  dinner  when  some  one 
called  at  the  front  door,  and  I  was  sent  for.  The 
door  bell,  I  may  explain,  was  always  answered  by 
one  of  the  house  servants,  and  he,  if  necessary, 
admitted  any  person  who  came,  closing  the  door ; 
but  the  visitor  had  to  be  examined  by  the  policeman 
stationed  in  the  passage  before  he  was  permitted 
to  come  any  further.  On  this  occasion  I  went  out 
and  found  three  gentlemen  standing  there.  They 
were  Turks,  as  could  be  easily  seen  by  their  attire, 
and  appeared  to  be  persons  of  some  consequence." 


THE   MURDERS  43 

"What  do  you  mean  by  the  words  'their 
attire'?"  interrupted  Brett.  "Were  they 
dressed  in  European  clothes  or  in  regular  Turkish 
garments  ?  " 

"  Oh,"  said  the  inspector,  "  I  only  meant  that 
they  wore  fezzes  ;  otherwise  they  were  quite  ac- 
curately dressed  in  frock  coats  and  the  rest,  but 
they  were  unmistakably  Turks  by  their  appearance. 
Two  of  them  could  speak  no  English,  and  the  third, 
who  acted  as  the  leader  of  the  party,  first  of  all 
addressed  me  in  French.  Finding  I  did  not  under- 
stand him,  he  used  very  broken,  but  fairly  intel- 
ligible, English.  What  he  wanted  was  to  be  taken 
at  once  to  his  Excellency,  Mehemet  Ali  Pasha.  I 
said  that  his  Excellency  was  dining  and  that  perhaps 
he  had  better  call  in  the  morning,  but  he  replied 
that  his  business  was  very  urgent,  and  he  could 
not  wait.  He  made  me  understand  that  if  I  sent 
in  the  cards  of  himself  and  his  companions  they 
would  certainly  be  admitted  at  once.  I  did  not 
see  any  harm  in  this,  so  I  took  the  three  cards  and 
gave  them  to  Hussein,  who  was  crossing  the  hall 
at  the  moment." 

"  As  the  cards  were  printed  in  Turkish  characters 
you  could  not,  of  course,  tell  what  the  names  were," 
said  Brett. 

A  look  of  blank  astonishment  crossed  the  in- 
spector's face  as  he  replied  :  "  That  is  a  good  guess, 
but  it  is  so.  The  hieroglyphics  on  the  piece  of 
pasteboard  were  worse  than  Greek.  However, 
Hussein  glanced  at  them.  He  appeared  to  be 
surprised  ;  he  went  into  the  dining-room,  returning 
with  the  message  that  the  gentlemen  were  to  be 
admitted.  Of  course  I  had  nothing  else  to  do  but 
to  let  them  in,  which  I  did,  accompanying  them 
myself  to  the  door  of  the  dining-room,  and  making 


4 
44         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

sure,  before  the  door  was  closed,  that  their  presence 
was  expected." 

"  How  did  you  do  that  ?  "  said  Brett. 

"  Well,  although  they  spoke  in  what  I  suppose 
was  Turkish,  it  is  not  very  difficult  to  distinguish 
by  a  man's  tones  whether  his  reception  of  unexpected 
visitors  is  cordial  or  not,  and  there  could  be  no 
doubt  that  the  visiting  cards  had  conveyed  such 
names  to  his  Excellency  as  warranted  the  intro- 
duction of  the  party  into  the  house.  The  six 
gentlemen  remained  in  the  dining-room  until  9.17 
(I  have  the  time  noted  here  in  my  pocket-book). 
They  then  came  out  and  went  upstairs  in  a  body 
to  the  ante-room,  where  they  all  sat  down,  as  I 
could  tell  by  the  movement  of  chairs  overhead, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  Hussein  was  rung  for  to  bring 
cigarettes  and  coffee.  This  was  at  9.21.  Hussein 
was  searched  as  he  came  downstairs  after  receiving 
the  order,  and  again  at  9.30  when  he  returned  after 
executing  it.  I  was  relieved  at  ten  o'clock,  and 
beyond  describing  the  three  gentlemen,  I  know 
nothing  more  about  the  business." 

"  They  were   well   dressed  ?  "   inquired   Brett  ; 
"  they  impressed  you  as  Turkish  gentlemen  by 
their  features,  and  they  wore  fezzes  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  the  policeman,  with  a  smile  ;  "  but 
there  was  a  little  more  than  that." 

"  It  is  of  no  importance,"  said  Brett. 

"  But  really  it  must  be,"  urged  the  inspector. 
"  One  of  them,  the  man  who  spoke  to  me,  had  a 
bad  sword-cut  across  his  right  cheek,  whilst  another 
squinted  horribly  ;  besides,  they  were  all  elderly 
men." 

"  Pardon  me,  inspector,"  said  Brett,  "  but  you 
admit,  no  doubt,  that  this  is  a  very  remarkable 
crime  I  am  investigating." 


THE   MURDERS  45 

"  I  should  just  think  it  is,  sir,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Well,  now,  does  it  not  strike  you  that  the 
perpetrators  thereof,  who  were  not  afraid  to  be 
scrutinized  by  yourself  and  by  several  other  police- 
men, and  to  be  searched  and  further  scrutinized 
by  a  different  set  of  officers  when  they  came  out 
again,  would  be  very  unlikely  persons  to  bear  about 
them  such  distinguishing  characteristics  as  would 
lead  to  their  arrest  by  the  first  youthful  police- 
constable  who  encountered  them  ?  I  do  not  want 
to  be  rude,  or  to  indicate  any  lack  of  discretion  on 
your  part,  but,  from  my  point  of  view,  I  would 
vastly  prefer  not  to  be  furnished  with  any  descrip- 
tion of  these  three  persons,  nor  would  I  care  to  have 
seen  them  as  they  entered  or  left  the  house." 

"  Well,  that  is  very  curious,"  said  Inspector 
Walters,  dropping  his  hands  on  his  knees  in  sheer 
amazement  at  such  an  extraordinary  statement 
from  a  man  whose  clearness  and  accuracy  of  per- 
ception had  been  so  fully  justified  by  the  incident 
of  the  window-blind. 

"  And  now,  Mr.  Sharpe,"  said  Brett,  turning  to 
the  other  officer,  "  what  did  you  observe  ?  " 

"  I  came  on  duty  at  ten  o'clock,  sir  ;  posted 
my  guards,  and  received  from  Inspector  Walters 
an  exact  account  of  what  had  taken  place  before 
my  arrival.  Inspector  Walters  had  hardly  quitted 
the  house,  when  one  of  the  junior  members  of  the 
mission  came  downstairs  with  a  note  which  he 
asked  me  to  send  at  once  by  a  constable  to  Mr. 
Talbot." 

"  You  are  quite  sure  he  was  one  of  the  members 
of  the  mission  ?  "  said  Brett. 

"  Perfectly  certain.  I  have  seen  him  every 
previous  night  for  nearly  a  month,  as  the  gentle- 
man often  went  out  late  to  the  Turkish  Embassy, 


46         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

and  elsewhere.  I  sent  the  note,  as  requested,  and 
Mr.  Talbot  came  back  with  the  constable  in  about 
twenty  minutes.  Mr.  Talbot  went  upstairs 
accompanied  by  Hussein ;  Hussein  came  down, 
was  searched,  went  down  to  the  kitchen,  brought 
up  more  coffee,  and  never  appeared  again.  The 
next  time  I  saw  him  was  about  noon  yesterday, 
when  we  broke  open  the  door,  and  found  his  dead 
body.  At  11.25,  Mr.  Talbot,  accompanied  by  the 
one  whom  Inspector  Walters  has  described  as  the 
spokesman  of  the  strangers,  came  down  the  stairs. 
Mr.  Talbot  looked  somewhat  puzzled,  but  not 
specially  worried,  and  submitted  himself  to  the 
searching  operation  as  usual.  The  other  man 
seemed  to  be  surprised  by  this  proceeding,  but 
offered  no  objection  when  his  turn  came,  and  said 
something  laughingly  in  French  to  Mr.  Talbot, 
when  he  had  to  take  his  boots  off.  The  two  gentle- 
men went  outside  and  called  a  cab.  Mr.  Talbot 
got  in,  and  the  constable  at  the  door  heard  the 
foreigner  tell  the  driver  to  go  to  the  Carlton  Hotel. 
He  repeated  the  address  twice,  so  as  to  make  sure 
the  man  would  make  no  mistake. 

"  Then  they  drove  off,  and  there  was  no  further 
incident  to  report  until  five  minutes  past  twelve, 
when  the  other  two  foreigners  came  downstairs. 
Then  we  had  a  bit  of  a  job.  They  knew  no  English, 
and  one  of  our  men,  who  could  speak  French,  found 
that  they  did  not  understand  that  language.  How- 
ever, at  last  in  dumb  show  we  got  them  to  per- 
ceive that  everybody  who  came  downstairs  had 
to  be  searched.  They  submitted  at  once,  and  I 
took  special  care  that  the  investigation  was  com- 
plete. There  was  nothing  upon  them  to  arouse 
the  slightest  suspicion,  no  weapons  of  any  sort 
beyond  a  small  pocket-knife  carried  by  one  man, 


THE   MURDERS  47 

and  not  much  in  the  way  of  either  papers  or  money. 
Before  going  out  one  of  them  produced  a  small 
card  on  which  was  written,  '  Carlton  Hotel.' 

"  I  took  it  that  this  was  their  residence,  so  I 
instructed  a  constable  to  see  them  into  a  cab  and 
tell  the  driver  where  to  take  them.  I  also  showed 
them  how  much  money  to  give  the  cabman.  None 
of  the  gentlemen  upstairs  put  in  an  appearance, 
nor  did  I  hear  them  retire  to  rest.  To  make  quite 
sure  that  all  was  right,  I  and  a  sergeant  who  looked 
in  a  little  later,  went  upstairs  and  tried  the  door 
of  the  ante-room.  This  was  locked  and  everything 
was  quiet  within,  so  we  returned  to  the  hall,  and 
the  night  was  passed  in  the  usual  manner.  Hussein 
always  made  his  appearance  about  eight  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  when  he  came  down  to  procure 
coffee  for  his  Excellency  and  the  others.  As  he 
did  not  show  up  I  wondered  what  had  become  of 
him.  When  nine  o'clock  came,  I  determined  to 
investigate  matters.  By  that  time  the  diamond 
cutters  had  put  in  an  appearance,  and  were 
gathered  in  the  hall,  undergoing  a  slight  search 
preparatory  to  their  day's  work." 

"  How  many  of  these  men  were  there  ?  "  broke 
in  Brett. 

"  Fourteen  exactly.  They  were  mostly  Dutch- 
men, with,  I  think  three  Belgians.  Taking  a 
constable  with  me,  I  went  upstairs,  and  ascended 
to  the  second  storey,  where  I  knew  his  Excellency's 
suite  was  situated,  and  where  I  expected  to  find 
Hussein  asleep  on  a  mat  in  front  of  the  bedroom 
door.  The  mat  was  there,  but  no  Hussein.  Then  I 
went  higher  up  to  the  rooms  occupied  by  the  two 
assistants.  I  knocked,  but  received  no  answer. 
One  door  was  locked  ;  the  other  was  open,  so  I 
went  in,  but  the  room  was  empty,  and  the  bed  had 


48         THE   ALBERT   GATE    AFFAIR 

not  been  slept  upon.  This  seemed  so  strange  that 
I  knocked  loudly  at  the  other  door,  with  no  result. 
I  returned  to  his  Excellency's  floor  and  hammered 
at  the  door,  which  was  locked,  sufficiently  to  wake 
the  soundest  sleeper  that  ever  lived.  This  again 
was  useless,  so  1  returned  downstairs  and  sent  off 
two  messengers  post  haste — one  to  Mr.  Talbot, 
and  the  other  to  the  Commissioner  of  Police  at 
Scotland  Yard.  The  man  who  went  to  Mr.  Talbot's 
house  returned  first,  bringing  the  startling  infor- 
mation that  Mr.  Talbot  had  not  been  home  all 
night,  and  that  his  uncle  and  sister  were  anxious 
to  know  where  he  was,  as  they  had  received  no 
message  from  him  since  he  quitted  the  house  the 
previous  night  at  10.15.  The  Commissioner  of 
Police  came  himself  a  little  later.  By  that  time 
Inspector  Walters  had  reached  here  for  his  turn  of 
day  duty,  and  after  a  hasty  consultation  we  decided 
to  break  in  all  the  doors  that  were  locked,  commenc- 
ing with  that  of  the  second  assistant.  His  room 
was  empty,  and  so  was  his  Excellency's,  neither 
apartment  having  been  occupied  during  the  night. 
We  then  returned  to  the  first  floor  and  forced  the 
door  of  the  ante-room,  which,  we  discovered,  was 
only  secured  by  a  spring  latch,  the  lower  lock  not 
having  been  used.  As  soon  as  we  entered  the  room, 
we  found  the  four  dead  men.  Hussein,  the  servant, 
was  nearest  the  door  and  was  lying  in  a  crumpled- 
up  position.  He  had  been  stabbed  twice  through 
the  back  and  once  through  the  spinal  column  at  the 
base  of  the  neck.  His  Excellency  and  the  two 
assistants  were  seated  in  chairs,  but  had  been 
stabbed  through  the  heart.  The  instrument  used 
must  have  been  a  long  thin  dagger  or  stiletto. 
There  was  no  sign  of  it  anywhere  in  the  room,  and 
most  certainly  none  of  the  men  who  came  out  the 


THE    MURDERS  49 

previous  night  had  such  a  weapon  concealed  upon 
him. 

"  Doctors  were  at  once  sent  for,  and  the  first 
medical  gentlemen  to  arrive  said  that  each  of  the 
four  had  been  dead  for  many  hours,  but  they  also 
imagined  that  the  coffee,  the  remains  of  which  we 
found  in  some  cups  on  the  table,  had  been  drugged. 
So,  before  disturbing  the  room  and  its  contents  in 
any  way,  the  Commissioner  sent  for  Dr.  Tennyson 
Coke.  After  careful  investigation  Dr.  Coke  came 
to  the  same  conclusion  as  the  other  gentlemen.  He 
believes  that  his  Excellency  and  his  two  assistants 
were  first  stupefied  by  the  drug  and  then  murdered 
as  they  sat  in  their  chairs,  whilst  the  appearance  of 
Hussein  and  the  nature  of  his  wounds  seemed  to 
indicate  that  he  had  been  unexpectedly  attacked 
and  killed  before  he  could  struggle  effectually  or 
even  call  for  assistance. 

"  Of  course,  the  diamonds  had  vanished, 
whilst  in  the  safes  or  on  the  tables  we 
found  the  keys  which  had  evidently  been  taken 
from  his  Excellency's  pockets.  We  were  all 
puzzled  to  account  for  the  disappearance  of  the 
diamonds  and  the  dagger,  but  you  have  clearly 
shown  the  means  whereby  they  were  conveyed  off 
the  premises.  Dr.  Coke  took  away  the  coffee  for 
analysis.  The  four  bodies  were  carried  to  the 
mortuary  in  Chapel  Place,  and  the  fourteen  work- 
men were  conveyed  to  Scotland  Yard,  not  because 
we  have  any  charge  against  them,  but  the  Com- 
missioner thought  it  best  to  keep  them  under 
surveillance  until  the  Turkish  Embassy  had  settled 
what  was  to  be  done  with  them,  in  the  matter  of 
paying  such  wages  as  were  due  and  sending  them 
back  to  Amsterdam.  The  men  themselves,  I  may 
add,  were  quite  satisfied  with  our  action  in  the 

D 


50         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

matter.    That  is  really  all  I  have  to  tell  you." 

"  It  is  quite  clear,  then,"  said  Brett,  "  that  two 
men  succeeded  in  murdering  four  and  in  getting 
away  with  their  plunder  and  arms  without  creating 
the  slightest  noise  or  exciting  any  suspicion  in  your 
mind." 

"  That  is  so,"  admitted  Inspector  Sharpe  ruefully. 

"Then,"  said  Brett,  "there  is  nothing  else  to 
be  done  here.  Will  you  come  with  me,  Mr  .Winter  ?  " 

"  Where  to,  sir  ?  "  inquired  the  detective. 

"  To  find  Mr.  Talbot,  of  course." 

"  Easier  said  than  done,"  remarked  Inspector 
Walters,  as  the  door  closed  behind  the  visitors. 

Inspector  Sharpe  was  less  sceptical. 

"  He's  a  very  smart  chap  is  Brett,"  he  said. 
"  Neither  you  nor  I  thought  of  punching  that  wire 
screen,  did  we  ?  " 


CHAPTER    V 

A   STARTLING  CLUE 

ONCE  clear  of  the  Albert  Gate  mansion,  the 
barrister  was  bound  to  confess  to  a  sense  of 
indefiniteness,  a  feeling  of  uncertainty  which  seldom 
characterised  either  his  thoughts  or  his  actions.  He 
admitted  as  much  to  his  companion,  for  Brett  was 
a  man  who  would  not  consent  to  pose  under  any 
circumstances. 

"  It  is  quite  true,"  he  explained,  "  that  our  first 
duty  must  be  to  find  Mr.  Talbot,  and  it  is  still  more 
certain  that  we  will  be  able  to  accomplish  that  part 
of  our  task ;  but  there  are  elements  in  this  inquiry 
which  baffle  me  at  present." 

"  And  what  are  they,  sir  ?  "  said  the  detective. 

"  I  fail  to  see  why  Mr.  Talbot  was  dragged  into 
the  matter  at  all.  On  the  straightforward 
assumption  that  Turks  were  engaged  in  the  pleasant 
occupation  of  taking  other  Turks'  lives — an 
assumption  to  which,  by  the  way,  I  attach  no 
great  amount  of  credence — why  did  they  not  allow 
Mr.  Talbot  to  go  quietly  to  his  own  home  ?  It 
was  not  that  they  feared  more  speedy  discovery  of 
their  crime.  The  hour  was  then  late  ;  it  was 
tolerably  certain  that  he  would  make  no  move 
which  might  prove  injurious  to  them  until  next 
morning,  and  then  the  whole  affair  was  bound  to 


52         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

be  discovered  by  the  police  in  the  ordinary  course 
of  events." 

"  I  don't  quite  follow  you,  sir,"  said  Winter,  with 
a  puzzled  tone  in  his  voice.  They  had,  for  the  sake 
of  quietude,  turned  into  the  Park,  and  were  now 
walking  towards  Hyde  Park  Corner.  "  What  do 
you  mean  by  saying  that  Mr.  Talbot  would  make 
no  move  in  the  matter  until  next  morning  ?  " 

"Oh,  I  forgot,"  said  Brett.  "Of  course,  you 
don't  know  why  the  diamonds  were  stolen  ?  " 

"  For  the  same  reason  that  all  other  diamonds 
are  stolen,  I  suppose." 

"  Oh,  dear  no,"  laughed  the  barrister. 
"  This  is  a  political  crime." 

"  Political !  "  said  the  amazed  policeman. 

"  Well,  we  won't  quarrel  about  words,  and  as 
there  are  perhaps  no  politics  in  Turkey,  we 
will  call  it  dynastic  or  any  other  loud-voiced 
adjective  which  serves  to  take  it  out  of  the  category 
of  simple  felony.  Why  ?  I  cannot  at  this  moment 
tell  you,  but  you  may  be  perfectly  certain  that  the 
disappearance  of  those  diamonds  from  the  custody 
of  Mehemet  Ali  Pasha  will  not  cause  the  Sultan  to 
sleep  any  more  soundly." 

"  What  beats  me,  Mr.  Brett,"  said  the  detective, 
viciously  prodding  the  gravel  path  with  his  stick, 
"  is  how  you  ferret  out  these  queer  facts — fancies 
some  people  would  call  them,  as  I  used  to  do  until  I 
knew  you  better." 

"  In  this  case  it  is  simple  enough.  By  mere  chance 
I  happened  to  read  this  morning  that  there  had 
been  some  little  domestic  squabble  in  royal  circles 
at  Constantinople.  I  don't  know  whether  you  are 
acquainted  with  Turkish  history,  Mr.  Winter,  but 
it  is  a  well-recognised  principle  that  any  Sultan  is 
liable  to  die  of  diseases  which  are  weird  and  pain- 


A    STARTLING   CLUE  53 

hilly  sudden  ;  for  instance,  the  last  one  is  popularly 
supposed  to  have  plunged  a  long  sharp  scissors 
into  his  jugular  vein  ;  others  drank  coffee  that 
disagreed  with  them,  or  smoked  cigarettes  too  highly 
perfumed.  In  any  case,  the  invariable  result  of 
these  eccentricities  has  been  that  a  fresh  Sultan 
occupied  the  throne.  Now,  don't  forget  that  I  am 
simply  theorising,  for  I  know  no  more  of  this 
business  than  you  do  at  this  moment,  but  I  still 
think  that  you  will  find  some  connection  between 
my  theory  and  that  which  has  actually  occurred.  At 
any  rate,  I  have  said  sufficient  to  prove  to  you  the 
importance  of  not  being  too  ready  to  make  arrests." 

"  I  quite  see  that,"  was  the  thoughtful  rejoinder. 
"  But  you  must  not  forget,  sir,  that  we  in  Scotland 
Yard  are  bound  by  rules  of  procedure.  Perhaps 
you  will  not  mind  my  suggesting  that  a  word  from 
you  to  the  Foreign  Office  might  induce  the  authori- 
ties to  communicate  officially  with  the  Home 
Department,  and  then  instructions  could  be  issued 
to  the  police  which  would  leave  the  matter  a  little 
more  open  than  we  are  able  to  regard  it  under  the 
existing  conditions." 

"  I  will  see  to  that,"  said  the  barrister.  "  When 
does  the  inquest  take  place  ?  " 

"  This  evening  at  six." 

"  It  will  be  adjourned,  of  course  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes  ;  no  evidence  will  be  given  beyond 
that  necessary  for  purposes  of  identification,  and 
this  can  be  supplied  by  the  police  themselves  and 
an  official  from  the  Turkish  Embassy." 

'*  Very  well.  You  will  mention  to  no  one  the 
theory  I  have  just  explained  to  you  ?  " 

"  Not  if  you  wish  it,  sir." 

"  I  do  wish  it  at  present.  Which  way  are  you 
going  ?  " 


54         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  Straight  to  the  Yard." 

"  In  that  case  I  will  accompany  you  a  portion 
of  the  distance." 

They  had  now  reached  Hyde  Park  Corner,  and, 
hailing  a  hansom,  Brett  told  the  driver  to  stop 
outside  the  Carlton  Hotel.  The  man  whipped  up  his 
horse  and  drove  in  the  direction  of  Constitution  Hill, 
evidently  intending  to  avoid  the  congested  traffic 
of  Piccadilly  and  take  the  longer,  but  more  pleasant, 
route  through  the  Green  Park  and  the  Mall. 

"  By  the  way,"  said  Brett,  "  did  the  driver  of  the 
hansom  which  conveyed  Mr.  Talbot  and  his 
companion  from  Albert  Gate  on  Monday  night  tell 
you  which  road  he  followed  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  the  detective,  "  he  went  this  way." 

Brett  rubbed  his  hands,  with  a  queer  expression 
of  thoughtful  pleasure  on  his  keen  face. 

"  Ah,"  he  said,  "  I  like  that.  It  is  well  to  be 
on  the  scent." 

He  did  not  explain  to  his  professional  confrere 
that  it  was  a  positive  stimulant  to  his  abounding 
energy  and  highly-strung  nerves  to  find  that  he 
was  actually  following  the  path  taken  by  the  criminal 
whom  he  was  pursuing.  The  mere  fact  lent  reality 
to  the  chase.  For  a  mile,  at  any  rate,  there  could 
be  no  mistake,  though  he  might  expect  a  check  at 
the  Carlton.  Arrived  there,  Brett  alighted. 

"  Are  you  going  to  make  any  inquiries  in  the 
hotel,  sir  ?  "  said  Mr.  Winter. 

"  Why  should  I  ?  "  said  Brett.  "  You  have 
already  ascertained  from  the  management  that  no 
person  even  remotely  resembling  any  of  the  parties 
concerned  is  staying  at  the  hotel." 

"  Yes,  confound  it,  I  know  I  did,"  cried  the  other, 
"but  I  never  told  you  so." 

ft  That  is  all  right,"  laughed  Brett.     "  Come  and 


A    STARTLING   CLUB  55 

see  me  at  my  chambers  this  evening  when  the 
inquest  is  finished.  Perhaps  by  that  time  we  may 
be  able  to  determine  our  plan  of  action." 

Once  left  to  himself,  Brett  did  not  enter  the  hotel. 
Indeed,  he  hardly  glanced  at  that  palatial  structure, 
having  evidently  dismissed  it  from  his  mind  as  being 
in  no  way  connected  with  the  tragedy  he  was  in- 
vestigating. He  made  it  an  invariable  rule  in  con- 
ducting inquiries  of  this  nature  to  adopt  the  French 
method  of  "  reconstituting "  the  incidents  of  a 
crime,  so  far  as  such  a  course  was  possible  in  the 
absence  of  the  persons  concerned.  He  reasoned  that 
a  very  plausible  explanation  of  the  unexpected  ap- 
pearance of  the  three  strangers  in  the  Albert  Gate 
mansion  on  Monday  night  had  been  given  to  Jack 
Talbot.  This  young  gentleman,  it  might  be  taken 
for  granted,  had  not  been  selected  by  the  Foreign 
Office  to  carry  to  a  successful  issue  such  an  impor- 
tant and  delicate  matter  as  that  entrusted  to  him, 
without  some  good  grounds  for  the  faith  in  his  quali- 
ties exhibited  by  his  superiors.  Brett  thought  he 
could  understand  the  brother's  character  and  attri- 
butes from  his  favourable  analysis  of  the  sister,  and  it 
was  quite  reasonable,  therefore,  to  believe  that  Talbot 
was  a  man  not  likely  to  be  easily  duped.  The  prin- 
cipals in  this  crime  were  evidently  well  aware  of  the 
trust  reposed  in  the  Assistant  Under-Secretary,  and 
they,  again,  would  not  underrate  his  intelligence. 
Hence  there  was  a  good  cause  for  Talbot  to  accept 
the  explanations,  whatever  they  were,  given  him 
during  the  conclave  in  the  dining-room  ;  the  effect 
of  which,  in  Inspector  Sharpe's  words,  had  been  to 
"  puzzle  "  the  young  Englishman.  Further,  there 
must  have  been  a  very  potent  inducement  held  out 
before  Talbot  would  consent  to  drive  off  with  a 
stranger  at  such  a  late  hour,  and  when  the  cab  was 


56    THE  ALBERT  GATE  AFFAIR 

dismissed  at  the  Carlton,  the  excuse  given  would 
certainly  be  quite  feasible. 

"  It  must  surely  be  this,"  communed  Brett. 
"  The  man  explained  that  he  was  a  stranger  in 
London,  that  he  lived  quite  close  to  the  Carlton 
Hotel,  and  that  he  found  it  convenient  not  only 
for  the  purpose  of  giving  directions  that  would  be 
understood,  but  also  for  paying  fares,  to  direct  the 
drivers  of  hired  vehicles  to  go  there  and  not  to  his 
own  exact  address,  which  he  had  found  by  experience 
many  of  them  did  not  recognize,  whilst  his  know- 
ledge of  the  language  was  not  ample  enough  to 
enable  him  to  describe  the  locality  more  precisely. 
It  follows,  then,  in  unerring  sequence  that  Talbot 
was  conveyed  to  some  place  within  a  very  short 
distance  of  the  spot  where  I  now  stand." 

He  looked  along  Pall  Mall,  up  the  Haymarket, 
and  through  Cockspur  Street,  and  he  noted  with 
some  degree  of  curiosity  that  there  were  very  few 
residential  buildings  in  the  neighbourhood.  Clubs, 
theatres,  big  commercial  establishments  and  in- 
surance offices  occupied  the  bulk  of  the  available 
space.  It  was  a  part  of  his  theory  that  none 
of  the  other  great  hotels  in  this  district  could 
harbour  the  criminals,  otherwise  there  would  have 
been  no  excuse  to  stop  the  hansom  outside  the 
Carlton. 

Brett  did  not  take  long  to  make  up  his  mind  once 
he  had  decided  upon  a  definite  course.  He  stood  at 
the  corner  barely  three  minutes,  and  then  walked  off 
through  Pall  Mall  and  down  the  steps  near  the  Duke 
of  York's  Column  into  the  Horse  Guards'  Parade, 
intending  to  walk  quietly  to  his  Victoria  Street  flat. 
A  call  at  the  Foreign  Office  procured  him  an  official 
authorization  from  the  Under-Secretary  to  inquire 
into  the  circumstances  of  Talbot's  disappearance 


A    STARTLING    CLUB  57 

and  a  promise  that  the  Home  Office  should  be  com- 
municated with. 

He  desired  to  review  the  whole  of  the  circum- 
stances attending  this  strange  mystery  of  modern 
life,  and  the  result  of  his  reflections  quickly  became 
apparent  when  he  reached  his  residence,  for  in  the 
first  instance  he  despatched  a  telegram,  and  then 
made  several  notes  in  his  private  diary. 

The  telegram,  in  due  course,  produced  an  elderly 
pensioned  police  inspector,  a  quiet  reserved  man, 
whom  the  barrister  had  often  employed.  He  ex- 
plained briefly  the  circumstances  attending  Mr. 
Talbot's  disappearance,  and  added — 

"  I  want  you  to  find  oat  the  names,  and  if  possible 
the  business — together  with  any  other  information 
you  may  happen  to  come  across — of  every  person 
who  lives  within  a  distance,  roughly  speaking,  of  two 
hundred  yards  from  the  Carlton  Hotel.  The  Post 
Office  Directory  and  your  own  observation  will 
narrow  down  the  inquiry  considerably.  It  is  the  un- 
recorded balance  of  inhabitants  with  whom  I  am 
particularly  anxious  to  become  more  definitely 
acquainted."  The  man  saluted  and  withdrew. 

Brett  imagined  that  he  would  now  be  left  in  un- 
disputed enjoyment  of  a  few  hours'  rest  before  the 
Earl  of  Fairholme  kept  the  appointment  fixed  for 
seven  o'clock.  But  in  this  he  was  mistaken. 

Smith  brought  in  some  tea,  which  was  refreshing 
after  his  walk,  for  the  engrossing  nature  of  the 
morning's  occupation  caused  him  to  forget  his  lunch. 
A  cigar  and  evening  paper  next  claimed  his  attention, 
but  he  had  barely  settled  down  to  the  perusal  of  a 
garbled  account  of  events  at  Albert  Gate  when  his 
man  again  entered,  announcing  in  mysterious  tones 
the  presence  of  Mr.  Winter.  Smith's  attitude  to- 
wards the  myrmidons  of  Scotland  Yard  who  occasion- 


58         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

ally  visited  the  barrister  on  business,  was  peculiar. 
He  regarded  them  with  suspicion,  tempered  by 
wholesome  awe,  and  he  now  made  known  the  arrival 
of  the  detective  in  such  a  manner  as  caused  his 
master  to  laugh  at  him. 

"  Show  him  in,  Smith,"  he  said  cheerily ;  **  he  hat 
not  come  to  arrest  me  this  time." 

Winter  entered,  and  a  glance  at  his  face  brought 
Brett  quickly  to  his  feet. 

"  What  is  the  matter  ?  "  he  cried  when  the  door 
had  closed  behind  the  servant.  "  You  have  received 
important  news  ?  " 

"  I  should  think  I  have,"  replied  the  detective, 
dropping  into  a  seat.  "  I  was  just  writing  a  report 
in  the  Yard  when  I  was  sent  for  by  the  Chief,  and 
you  could  have  knocked  me  down  with  a  feather 
when  I  heard  the  reason.  I  suppose  I  am  acting 
rightly  in  coming  at  once  to  tell  you,  although  in  my 
flurry  at  the  time  I  quite  forgot  to  ask  the  Chief's 
permission,  but  as  you  are  mixed  up  in  the  case  at 
the  request  of  the  Foreign  Office,  I  thought  you  ought 
to  learn  what  had  happened." 

"  Well,  what  is  it  ?  "  cried  Brett,  impatient  of  the 
other's  careful  provisos. 

"  Simply  this,"  said  the  detective.  "  Mr.  Jack 
Talbot  bolted  from  London  on  Tuesday  in  company 
with  a  lady.  They  crossed  over  from  Dover  to 
Calais  by  the  midday  boat,  and  went  direct  to  Paris. 
Mr.  Talbot  calmly  booked  rooms  for  himself  and  the 
girl  in  the  Grand  Hotel,  had  the  nerve  to  write 
'  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Talbot,  118,  Ulster  Gardens,  London, 
W.,'  in  the  register,  and  both  of  them  disappeared 
forthwith.  But  we  will  soon  lay  hands  on  the 
gentleman,  no  fear.  I  have  somehow  suspected, 
Mr.  Brett,  that  your  notion  of  a  political  crime  was 
all  poppy-cock.  It  is  a  good  big  brazen-faced  steal.'* 


A    STARTLING   CLUE  59 

"  Is  it  ?  "  said  Brett,  his  face  glistening  with 
excitement  at  the  intelligence  so  suddenly  con- 
veyed to  him.  "  Would  you  mind  explaining  to 
me  how  this  precious  information  reached  you  ?  " 

"  There  is  no  use,  sir,  in  fighting  against  facts," 
said  the  detective,  with  dogged  insistence.  "  This 
time  you  are  dead  wrong.  Mr.  Talbot  was  recog- 
nized at  Calais  by  a  Foreign  Office  messenger  return- 
ing from  France.  Seeing  him  with  a  lady,  and 
knowing  that  he  was  not  married,  the  messenger 
— Captain  Gaultier  by  name — did  not  speak  to  him, 
especially  as  Mr.  Talbot  seemed  rather  to  avoid 
recognition.  Captain  Gaultier  thought  nothing  of 
the  matter  until  this  morning,  when  he  visited  the 
Foreign  Office  on  duty  and  heard  something  of 
the  affair.  He  then  saw  the  Under-Secretary, 
the  same  gentleman  who  sent  the  Earl  of  Fairholme 
to  you,  and  told  him  what  had  happened.  The  Under- 
secretary could  hardly  refuse  to  believe  such  a 
credible  witness,  so  telegrams  were  despatched  to 
the  Embassy  in  Paris  and  the  police  at  Dover. 
From  Dover  came  the  information  that  exactly  such 
a  couple  as  described  by  Captain  Gaultier  had  crossed 
to  France  on  Tuesday  morning ;  and  a  few  hours 
later  a  wire  from  Paris  announced  the  discovery  of 
the  registered  names  at  the  Grand  Hotel.  The  Paris 
telegram  went  on  to  say  that  the  gentleman  had  told 
the  manager  his  luggage  was  following  from  the 
Gare  du  Nord,  and  that  his  wife  and  himself  were 
going  out  for  half  an  hour,  but  would  return  in  time 
to  dress  for  dinner.  When  his  traps  arrived  they 
were  to  be  taken  to  his  room.  No  luggage  ever 
came,  nor  was  either  of  the  pair  seen  again ;  but 
we  will  lay  hands  on  them,  never  fear." 

Brett  took  a  hasty  stride  or  two  up  and  down  the 
room. 


60         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"So  you  think,"  he  burst  forth  at  last,  "that 
Mr.  Talbot  has  not  only  taken  part  in  some  vulgar 
intrigue  with  a  woman,  but  that  he  has  also  bolted 
with  the  Sultan's  diamonds,  sacrificing  his  whole 
career  to  a  momentary  impulse  and  imperilling  his 
neck  for  the  sake  of  a  few  gems,  which  he  cannot 
even  convert  into  money  ?  " 

"  Why  not  ?  It  is  not  the  first  time  in  the  history 
of  the  world  that  a  man  has  made  a  fool  of  himself 
over  a  woman,  or  even  committed  a  murder  in  order 
to  steal  diamonds." 

"  My  dear  Winter,  do  be  reasonable.  Where  is 
the  market  for  diamonds  such  as  these  are  supposed 
to  be  ?  You  know,  even  better  than  I  do,  that  the 
slightest  attempt  to  dispose  of  them  at  any  figure 
remotely  approaching  their  value  will  lead  to  the 
immediate  detection  and  arrest  of  the  person  rash 
enough  to  make  the  experiment.  Don't  you  see, 
man,  that  the  Foreign  Office  and  its  messenger,  its 
Under-Secretary,  your  Commissioner,  and  the  Em- 
bassy officials  in  Paris  have  been  completely  and 
abjectly  fooled — fooled,  too,  in  a  particularly  silly 
fashion  by  the  needless  registration  of  names  at  the 
hotel  ?  " 

"  No,  I  do  not  see  it.  One  cannot  go  against  facts, 
but  this  time  the  evidence  looks  so  strong  that  I  shall 
be  mightily  mistaken  if  Mr.  Talbot  does  not  swing 
for  his  share  in  the  matter.  Anyhow,  I  have  done  my 
duty  in  letting  you  know  what  has  happened,  so 
I  must  be  off." 

"To  arrest  somebody,  of  course  ?  "  cried  Brett, 
with  an  irritating  laugh  ;  but  Mr.  Winter  was  al- 
ready hurrying  down  the  stairs. 

The  momentary  feeling  of  annoyance  soon  passed, 
to  be  succeeded  by  profound  pity  for  the  household 
at  118,  Ulster  Gardens.  He  well  knew  that  once 


A    STARTLING   CLUE  61 

the  police  became  convinced  that  a  particular  indi- 
vidual was  responsible  for  the  commission  of  a 
crime  it  required  the  eloquence  of  several  counsel 
and  the  combined  intelligence  of  a  judge  and  jury 
at  the  Old  Bailey  to  force  them  to  change  their 
opinion.  Brett  had  never,  to  his  knowledge,  seen 
Talbot,  yet  he  felt  that  this  bright,  alert  and  trust- 
worthy young  official  was  innocent  of  the  slightest 
voluntary  complicity  in  a  crime  which  must  shock 
London  when  its  extent  became  known. 

The  testimony  of  the  Foreign  Office  messenger 
was,  of  course,  staggering  at  first  sight,  especially 
when  backed  up  by  the  hurried  investigations  made 
at  Dover  and  Paris.  But  there  must  be  an  explana- 
tion of  Talbot's  supposed  journey,  and,  even  assum- 
ing the  most  unfavourable  view  of  his  actions,  why 
on  earth  should  he  so  ostentatiously  parade  himself 
and  his  companion  at  the  bureau  of  the  Grand 
Hotel  ?  There  could  be  but  one  answer  to  this 
question.  He  acted  in  this  manner  in  order  to  make 
certain  that  his  presence  in  Paris  should  be  known 
to  the  police  at  the  first  instant  they  endeavoured 
to  trace  him.  Then,  who  could  the  woman  be  ? 
The  last  thing  that  a  clever  criminal  flying  from 
outraged  law  would  dream  of  doing  would  be  to 
encumber  himself  with  a  young  and  probably  good- 
looking  companion  of  the  opposite  sex. 

The  more  Brett  thought  out  the  complexities  of 
the  affair,  the  more  excited  he  became,  and  the 
longer  and  more  rapid  were  his  strides  up  and  down 
the  length  of  his  spacious  sitting-room.  This  was 
his  only  outward  sign  of  agitation.  When  thinking 
deeply  on  any  all-absorbing  topic,  he  could  not 
remain  still.  He  felt  obliged  to  cast  away  physical 
as  well  as  mental  restriction  on  the  play  of  his 
imagination,  and  he  would  at  times  pace  back  and 


62          THE    ALBERT    GATE    AFFAIR 

forth  during  unrecorded  hours  in  the  solitude  of 
his  apartments,  finally  awakening  to  a  sense  of  his 
surroundings  by  reason  of  sheer  exhaustion. 

He  was  not  destined  to  reach  this  ultimate  stage 
on  the  present  occasion.  With  a  preliminary  cough — 
for  the  discreet  Smith  was  well  versed  in  his  master's 
peculiarities — his  servant  announced  the  appearance 
of  the  Earl  of  Fairholme. 

Brett  looked  at  his  watch,  and  was  caught  in  the 
act  by  his  visitor.  "  Yes,  I  know  we  fixed  on  seven 
o'clock,"  cried  the  impetuous  young  peer,  "  but  I 
was  simply  dying  to  hear  the  result  of  your  inquiries 
thus  far,  and  I  ventured  to  call  an  hour  earlier." 

The  barrister  explained  that  he  sought  to  learn 
the  time  as  a  matter  of  mere  curiosity.  "  Indeed," 
he  added,  "  your  appearance  at  this  juncture  is 
particularly  welcome.  I  want  to  ask  you  many 
things  concerning  Mr.  Talbot." 

"  Fire  away,"  said  Fairholme.  "  I'm  no  good 
at  spinning  a  yarn,  but  I  can  answer  questions  like 
a  prize  boy  in  a  Sunday-school." 

"  Well,  in  the  first  instance,  have  you  known  him 
many  years  ?  " 

"  We  were  at  school  together  at  Harrow.  Then 
I  entered  the  Army  whilst  he  had  a  University 
career.  My  trustees  made  me  give  up  the  Service 
when  I  succeeded  to  the  estates,  and  about  the 
same  time  Jack  entered  the  Foreign  Office.  That 
is  three  years  ago.  We  have  seen  each  other  con- 
stantly since,  and,  of  course,  when  I  became  engaged 
to  his  sister  our  friendship  became,  if  anything, 
stronger." 

"  Nothing  could  be  more  admirably  expressed. 
Do  you  know  anything  about  his  private  affairs  ?  *' 

"  Financially,  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Well,  yes,  to  begin  with." 


A    STARTLING   CLUE  63 

"  He  got  a  salary,  I  suppose,  from  Government, 
but  he  has  a  private  income  of  some  thousands  a 
year." 

"  Then  he  is  not  likely  to  be  embarrassed  for 
money  ?  " 

"  Most  unlikely.  He  is  a  particularly  stead}' 
chap — full  of  eagerness  to  follow  a  diplomatic  career 
and  that  sort  of  thing.  Why,  he  would  sooner  read 
a  blue-book  than  the  Pink  'Un  !  " 

"  If  you  were  told  that  he  had  bolted  with  a 
nondescript  young  woman,  what  would  you 
say  ?  " 

"  Say !  "  vociferated  Fairholme,  springing  up 
from  the  seat  into  which  he  had  subsided,  "  I  would 

tell  the  man  who  said  so  that  he  was  a  d d 

liar !  " 

"  Exactly.  Of  course  you  would  !  Yet  here  are 
all  kinds  of  people — Foreign  Office  officials,  police- 
men, and  hangers-on  of  the  British  Embassy  in 
Paris — ready  to  swear,  perhaps  to  prove,  if  neces- 
sary, that  Talbot  and  some  smartly-dressed  female 
went  to  Paris  quite  openly  by  the  day  service 
yesterday,  and  even  took  care  to  announce  osten- 
tatiously their  arrival  in  the  French  capital." 

For  a  moment  the  two  men  faced  each  other 
silently,  the  one  amused  by  the  news  he  was  im- 
parting, the  other  staggered  by  its  seeming  absurdity. 
Then  Fairholme  flung  himself  back  into  his  chair. 

"  Look  here,  Mr.  Brett,"  he  went  on,  "  if  Jack 
himself  stood  there  and  told  me  that  what  you  have 
said  is  true  I  would  hardly  believe  it."  A  note  of 
agony  came  into  his  voice,  as  he  added  :  "  Do  you 
know  what  this  means  to  his  sister  ?  My  God, 
man,  it  will  kill  her  !  " 

"  It  will  do  nothing  of  the  sort,"  cried  Brett. 
"  Surely  you  understand  Miss  Talbot  better.  She 


64         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

will  be  the  first  to  proclaim  to  the  world  what  you 
and  I  believe,  namely,  that  her  brother  is  innocent, 
no  matter  how  black  appearances  may  be.  I  have 
no  knowledge  of  him  save  what  I  have  learned  within 
the  last  few  hours,  yet  I  stake  my  reputation  on  the 
certainty  that  he  is  in  no  way  connected  with  this 
terrible  occurrence  save  by  compulsion." 

"  It  gives  one  renewed  courage  to  hear  you  speak 
so  confidently,"  said  the  earl,  his  face  lighting  with 
enthusiasm  as  he  looked  eagerly  at  the  other,  whose 
earnestness  had,  for  an  instant,  lifted  the  veil  from 
features  usually  calm  and  impassive,  betraying  the 
strength  of  character  and  masterful  purpose  that 
lay  beneath  the  outward  mask. 

"  Is  there  anything  else  I  can  tell  you  ?  "  asked 
Fairholme. 

'*  You  are  quite  sure  that  his  was  a  nature  that 
could  not  stoop  to  a  vulgar  intrigue  ?  "  said  Brett. 
"  Remember  that  in  this  relation  the  finest  natures 
are  prone  to  err.  From  long  experience,  I  have 
learnt  to  place  such  slips  in  quite  another  category 
than  mere  lapses  of  criminality." 

"  Of  course  any  man  who  knows  the  world  must 
appreciate  your  reasons  fully,  but  from  what  I 
know  of  Jack  I  am  persuaded  the  thing  is  quite 
impossible.  Even  if  it  were  otherwise,  he  would 
never  be  so  mad  as  to  go  off  when  he  knew  that 
something  very  unusual  and  important  was  about 
to  occur  with  reference  to  a  special  mission  for  the 
successful  conclusion  of  which  he  had  been  specially 
selected  by  the  Foreign  Office." 

"  Ah,  there  you  touch  on  the  strange  happenings 
of  coincidence.  Circumstantial  evidence  convicts 
many  offenders,  but  it  has  hanged  many  an  innocent 
man  before  to-day.  I  could  tell  you  a  very  re- 
markable case  in  point.  Once " 


A    STARTLING   CLUE  65 

But  Smith  appeared  to  announce  dinner,  and 
Brett  not  only  insisted  that  his  new  acquaintance 
should  dine  heartily,  but  also  contrived  to  divert 
him  from  present  anxieties  by  drawing  upon  the 
rich  storehouse  of  his  varied  experiences. 

The  meal,  therefore,  passed  pleasantly  enough. 
Both  men  arranged  to  visit  Sir  Hubert  Fitzjames 
during  the  evening  and  decide  on  a  definite  course 
of  action  which  would  receive  the  approval  of  the 
authorities.  Armed  with  a  mandate  from  the 
Foreign  Office,  Brett  could  enter  upon  his  task 
without  fear  of  interference  from  officialdom.  No- 
thing further  could  be  done  that  night,  as  the 
private  inquiry  agent  could  not  possibly  complete 
any  portion  of  his  house-to-house  scrutiny  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  Carlton  until  the  following  morning 
at  the  earliest. 

They  smoked  and  chatted  quietly  until  7.30  p.m., 
when  Inspector  Winter  again  put  in  an  appearance, 
to  announce  that  the  coroner's  jury  had  brought  in 
a  verdict  of  "  Wilful  murder  by  some  two  or  more 
persons  unknown." 

The  detective  was  somewhat  quieter  in  manner 
now  that  the  sensational  turn  of  events  in  Paris 
had  assimilated  with  the  other  remarkable  features 
of  the  crime.  Moreover,  the  presence  of  a  peer  of 
the  realm  had  a  subduing  influence  upon  him,  and 
he  had  the  good  taste  not  to  insist  too  strenuously 
that  Lord  Fairholme's  prospective  brother-in-law 
was  not  only  an  accessory  to  a  foul  murder,  but  also 
a  fugitive  thief. 

One  new  fact  was  established  by  the  post-mortem 
examination  of  the  victims.  Considerable  violence 
had  been  used  to  overcome  the  struggles  of  the  ser- 
vant, Hussein.  His  neck  was  almost  dislocated, 
and  there  was  a  large  bruise  on  his  back  which 

E 


66         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

might  have  been  caused  by  the  knee  of  an  assailant 
endeavouring  to  garrotte  him. 

They  were  discussing  this  discovery  and  its  pos- 
sible significance  when  Smith  entered,  bearing  a 
lady's  visiting-card,  which  he  silently  handed  to 
his  master. 

Brett  read  the  name  inscribed  thereon.  He 
merely  said,  "  Show  the  lady  in."  Then  he  turned 
to  the  Earl  of  Fairholme,  electrifying  the  latter  by 
the  words  :  "  Miss  Edith  Talbot  is  here." 

An  instant  later  Miss  Talbot  came  into  the  room. 
The  three  men  knew  that  she  brought  momentous, 
perchance  direful,  intelligence.  She  was  deathly 
pale.  Her  eyes  were  unnaturally  brilliant,  her 
mouth  set  in  tense  resolution. 

"  Mr.  Brett,"  she  said,  after  a  single  glance  at  her 
lover,  "  we  have  received  a  letter  from  my  brother." 

"  A  letter  from  Jack !  "  cried  Fairholme. 

"  Well,  I  never  did !  "  ejaculated  Mr.  Winter. 

But  Brett  only  said — 

"  Have  you  brought  it  with  you,  Miss  Talbot  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  it  is  here.  My  uncle,  who  was  too  ill  to 
accompany  me,  thought  you  ought  to  see  it  at  once," 
and  she  handed  a  torn  envelope  to  him. 

He  glanced  at  the  post-mark. 

"  It  was  posted  in  Paris  last  evening,"  he  said, 
his  cool  utterance  sending  a  thrill  through  the 
listeners.  "  Is  the  address  written  by  him  ?  "  he 
added. 

"  Oh,  yes.     It  is  undoubtedly  from  Jack." 

Here  was  a  woman  moulded  on  the  same  in- 
scrutable lines  as  the  man  whom  she  faced.  Seldom, 
indeed,  would  either  of  these  betray  the  feelings 
which  agitated  them.  Then  he  took  out  the 
folded  letter.  It  contained  but  three  lines,  and 
was  undated. 


A    STARTLING    CLUE  67 

'*  My  dear  Uncle  and  Sister,"  it  ran.  "  I  am  in 
a  position  of  some  difficulty,  but  am  quite  safe 
personally. — Ever  yours,  JACK." 

Mr.  Winter  was  the  first  to  recover  his  equa- 
nimity. He  could  not  control  the  note  of  triumph 
in  his  voice. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  it  now,  Mr.  Brett  ?  " 

The  barrister  ignored  him,  save  for  a  glance 
which  seemed  to  express  philosophical  doubt  as  to 
whether  Mr.  Winter's  head  contained  brains  or 
sawdust. 

"  You  are  quite  positive  that  both  letter  and  en- 
velope are  in  your  brother's  handwriting  ?  "  he  said. 

"  Absolutely  positive." 

"  There  can  be  no  doubt  about  it,"  chimed  in 
Fairholme,  to  whom,  in  response  to  a  gesture, 
Brett  had  passed  the  damning  document. 

"  Then  this  letter  simplifies  matters  consider- 
ably," said  Brett. 

Miss  Talbot  looked  at  him  unflinchingly  as  she 
uttered  the  next  question  : 

"  Do  you  mean  that  it  serves  to  clear  my 
brother  from  any  suspicion  ?  " 

"  Most  certainly." 

"  I  thank  you  for  your  words  from  the  bottom 
of  my  heart.  Somehow,  I  knew  you  would  say 
that.  Will  you  please  come  and  help  to  explain 
matters  to  my  uncle  ?  Harry,  you  will  come  too, 
will  you  not  ?  " 

The  sweet  gentle  voice,  with  its  sad  mingling  of 
hope  and  despair,  sounded  so  pathetic  that  the 
impetuous  peer  had  some  difficulty  in  restraining 
a  wild  impulse  to  clasp  her  to  his  heart  then  and 
there. 

Even  Mr.  Winter  was  moved  not  to  proclaim 
his  disbelief. 


68         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  I  will  see  you  in  the  morning,  sir,"  he  muttered. 

Brett  nodded,  and  the  detective  went  out, 
saying  to  himself  as  he  reached  the  street — 

"  Nerve  !  Of  course  he  has  nerve.  It's  in  the 
family.  Just  look  at  that  girl !  Still,  it  did  re- 
quire some  grit  to  sign  his  name  in  the  hotel  register 
and  then  calmly  sit  down  to  write  a  letter  telling 
his  people  not  to  worry  about  him.  I've  known 
a  few  rum  cases  in  my  time,  but  this  one " 

The  remainder  of  Mr.  Winter's  soliloquy  was  lost 
in  the  spasmodic  excitement  of  boarding  a  passing 
omnibus,  for  this  latest  item  of  news  must  be  con- 
veyed to  the  Yard  with  ali  speed. 


CHAPTER  VI 

A  JOURNEY  TO  PARIS 

THE  sight  of  Talbot's  letter  seemed  to  fire  Brett's 
imagination.  He  radiated  electric  energy. 
Both  Lord  Fairholme  and  Miss  Talbot  felt  that  in 
his  presence  all  doubts  vanished.  They  realized, 
without  knowing  why,  that  this  man  of  power,  this 
human  dynamo,  would  quickly  dispel  the  clouds 
which  now  rendered  the  outlook  so  forbidding. 
For  the  moment,  heedless  of  their  presence,  he 
began  to  pace  the  room  in  the  strenuous  concen- 
tration of  his  thoughts.  Once  he  halted  in  front 
of  the  small  bust  of  Edgar  Allan  Poe,  whose  pedestal 
still  imprisoned  the  two  cuttings  of  a  newspaper 
which  formed  the  barrister's  first  links  with  the 
tragedy.  His  ideas  suddenly  reverted  to  the  para- 
graph describing  the  efforts  of  the  Porte  to  obtain 
from  the  French  Government  the  extradition  of  a 
fugitive  relative  of  the  Sultan.  At  that  instant, 
too,  a  tiny  clock  on  the  mantelpiece  chimed  forth 
the  hour  of  eight. 

"  That  settles  it,"  said  Brett  aloud.  "  Smith," 
he  vociferated. 

And  Smith  appeared. 

"  Pack  up  sufficient  belongings  for  a  short  trip 
to  the  Continent.  Don't  forget  a  rug  and  a  great- 


70          THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

coat.  Have  the  portmanteau  on  a  cab  at  the 
door  within  three  minutes." 

"  I  am  sorry,  Miss  Talbot,"  he  continued,  with 
his  charming  smile  and  a  manner  as  free  from  per- 
plexity as  if  he  was  announcing  a  formal  visit  to 
his  grandmother.  "  I  have  just  decided  to  go  to 
Paris  at  once.  The  train  leaves  Victoria  at  8.15. 
Lord  Fairholme  will  take  you  home,  and  you  will 
both,  I  am  sure,  be  able  to  convince  Sir  Hubert 
that  to  yield  too  greatly  to  anxiety  just  now  is  to 
suffer  needless  pain." 

"  You  are  going  to  Paris,  Mr.  Brett ! "  cried 
Edith.  "  Why  ?  " 

"  In  obedience  to  an  impulse.  I  always  yield  to 
impulses.  They  impress  me  as  constituting  Nature's 
telegraphs.  I  have  a  favourite  theory  that  we  all 
contain  a  neatly  devised  adaptation  of  Marconi's 
wireless  system,  and  the  time  may  come  when  the 
secret  will  be  scientifically  laid  bare.  Then,  don't 
you  see,  it  will  be  possible  for  a  man  in  London  to 
ring  up  a  sympathetic  soul  in  San  Francisco.  At 
present  the  code  is  not  understood.  It  is  not  even 
properly  named,  so  people  are  apt  to  distrust  im- 
pulses." 

He  rattled  on  so  pleasantly  that  Edith,  absorbed 
by  the  agony  of  her  brother's  disappearance  and 
possible  disgrace,  could  not  conceal  an  expression 
of  blank  amazement  at  his  levity. 

Brett  instantly  became  apologetic. 

"  Pray  forgive  my  apparent  flippancy,  Miss  Tal- 
bot," he  said.  "  I  am  really  in  earnest.  I  believe 
that  a  flying  visit  to  Paris  just  now  must  unques- 
tionably advance  us  an  important  stage  in  this 
inquiry.  Let  me  explain  exactly  what  I  mean. 
Here  is  a  letter  from  your  brother,  in  handwriting 
which  you  and  others  best  qualified  to  judge 


A    JOURNEY    TO   PARIS  71 

declare  to  be  undeniably  his.  It  also  bears  post- 
marks which  would  demonstrate  to  a  court  of  law 
that  it  was  posted  in  Paris  last  night  and  received 
here  to-day.  But  it  does  not  follow  that  it  was 
written  in  Paris  ;  it  might  have  been  written  any- 
where. Now,  according  to  the  police,  there  is  an 
entry  in  the  visitors'  book  at  the  Grand  Hotel 
which  appears  to  prove  that  your  brother  wrote 
his  name  therein  on  Tuesday  night.  If  the  hand- 
writing in  the  Grand  Hotel  register  corresponds 
beyond  all  doubt  with  that  in  this  letter  and 
envelope,  then  your  brother  must  be  in  Paris.  If 
it  does  not,  he  is  not  there.  I  am  convinced  that 
the  latter  hypothesis  is  correct,  but  to  muke  doubly 
sure  I  will  go  and  see  with  my  own  eyes.  There 
now — I  owed  you  an  explanation,  and  I  have  barely 
time  to  catch  my  train.  Good-bye.  I  will  wire 
you  in  the  morning." 

He  placed  the  mysterious  letter  in  his  notebook, 
gave  them  a  parting  smile,  and  was  gone. 

He  managed  to  catch  the  8.15,  which  started 
punctually,  the  sole  remnant  of  railway  virtue 
possessed  by  the  Chatham  and  South  Eastern  line. 
A  restful  porter,  quickened  into  active  life  by  a 
half-crown  tip,  found  him  a  vacant  seat  in  a  first- 
class  smoking  carriage,  and  Brett's  hasty  glance 
round  the  compartment  revealed  that  his  travel- 
ling companions,  as  far  as  Dover,  at  any  rate, 
were  severely  respectable  Britons  bound  for  the 
Riviera. 

The  harbour  station  at  Dover  wore  its  usual 
aspect  of  dejected  misery.  The  hurrying  passen- 
gers pushed  and  jostled  each  other  in  their  frenzied 
efforts  to  board  the  steamer,  for  the  average  British 
tourist  has  a  rooted  belief  that  such  pushing  and 
jostling  and  banging  of  apoplectic  portmanteaus 


72          THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

against  the  legs  of  others  are  absolutely  necessary 
if  he  would  not  be  left  behind. 

With  an  experience  born  of  many  voyages, 
Brett  quickly  noted  the  direction  of  the  wind  and 
the  vessel's  bearings.  A  stiff  breeze  had  brought 
up  a  moderate  sea,  and  the  barrister  dumped  down 
his  bag  and  flung  himself  into  a  chair  on  what  a 
novice  would  regard  as  the  weather  side  of  the 
charthouse.  He  bore  the  discomfort  for  a  few 
minutes,  and  was  rewarded  for  his  foresight  by 
possessing  the  most  sequestered  nook  on  deck  when 
the  vessel  turned  her  head  seawards  and  began  one 
of  the  shortest,  but  perhaps  the  most  disagreeable, 
voyages  in  the  world. 

Having  retained  his  seat  long  enough  to  establish 
a  proprietory  right  therein,  Brett  rose  and  made  a 
short  tour  of  the  ship.  To  distinguish  any  one  on 
deck  was  almost  out  of  the  question.  The  passen- 
gers were  huddled  up  in  indefinable  shapes,  and 
there  was  hardly  light  sufficient  to  effect  a  stumb- 
ling progress  over  the  multitude  of  hand-baggage. 
So  the  barrister  dived  down  the  companion-way  and 
cannoned  against  a  burly  individual  who  had 
propped  himself  against  a  bulkhead  on  the  main 
deck  saloon. 

Something  hard  in  the  man's  pockets  gave  Brett 
a  sharp  rap,  and  when  they  separated  with  mutual 
apologies,  he  laughed  silently. 

"  Handcuffs  !  "  he  murmured.  "  Scotland  Yard 
is  always  prepared  for  emergencies.  I  will  wager 
*  considerable  sum  that  as  soon  as  Winter  reached 
headquarters  his  story  about  the  letter  caused  a 
telegram  to  be  despatched  to  Dover.  Here's  a 
detective  bound  for  Paris  and  prepared  to  manacle 
Talbot  the  moment  he  sees  him.  What  a  fearful 
and  wonderful  thing  is  the  English  police  system. 


A    JOURNEY    TO    PARIS  73 

A  crime,  obviously  clever  in  its  conception  and 
treatment,  can  be  handled  by  a  sharp  policeman 
wearing  regulation  boots  and  armed  with  handcuffs. 
Really,  I  must  have  a  drink." 

Clinging  to  the  hand-rails  and  executing  some 
crude  but  effective  balancing  feats,  he  reached  the 
dining  saloon,  which  was  woefully  denuded  of 
occupants,  for  the  English  Channel  that  night  had 
sternly  set  its  face  against  the  indiscriminate  use  of 
cold  ham  and  pickles. 

Near  the  bar,  however,  solemnly  digesting  a 
liqueur,  stood  a  man  to  whom  the  choppy  sea  evi- 
dently gave  no  concern.  He  had  the  square 
shoulders,  neat-fitting  clothes  and  closely  clipped 
appearance  at  the  back  of  the  neck  which  mark  the 
British  officer ;  but  he  also  stood  square  on  his  feet 
and  swayed  with  unconscious  ease  whether  the 
vessel  pitched  or  rolled  or  executed  the  combined 
movement. 

"  Now,  I  wonder,"  said  Brett,  "  if  that  is  Cap- 
tain Gaultier.  He  must  be.  Gaultier,  from  his 
name,  should  be  a  Jersey  man,  hence  his  facility 
in  foreign  languages  and  his  employment  as  a 
Foreign  Office  messenger.  It's  worth  trying.  I  will 
make  the  experiment." 

He  reached  the  bar  and  ordered  a  whisky  and 
soda.  Turning  affably  to  the  stranger,  he  re- 
marked— 

"  Nasty  night,  isn't  it  ?  I  hope  we  shan't  be 
much  behind  time." 

The  stranger  glanced  at  him  with  sharp  and 
inquisitive  eyes,  but  the  glance  evidently  reassured 
him,  for  he  replied  quite  pleasantly — 

"  Oh,  no.  A  matter  of  a  few  minutes,  perhaps. 
They  usually  manage  to  make  up  any  delay  after 
we  leave  Calais." 


74          THE   ALBERT    GATE   AFFAIR 

"  That's  good,"  said  Brett,  "  because  I  want  to 
be  in  Paris  at  the  earliest  possible  moment." 

The  other  man  smiled. 

"  We  are  due  there  at  5.38,"  he  said.  "  Rather 
an  early  hour  for  business,  isn't  it  ?  " 

"  Well,  yes,"  assented  the  barrister,  "  under  ordi- 
nary circumstances,  but  as  my  only  business  in 
Paris  is  to  examine  an  hotel  register  and  then  get 
something  to  eat  before  I  return,  I  do  not  wish  to 
waste  time  unnecessarily  on  the  road." 

The  other  man  nodded  affably,  but  gave  no  sign 
of  further  interest. 

"  So,"  communed  Brett,  "  if  it  be  Gaultier,  he 
has  not  heard  the  latest  developments.  I  must  try 
a  frontal  attack." 

"  Does  your  name  happen  to  be  Gaultier  ?  "  he 
went  on. 

The  stranger  arrested  his  liqueur  glass  in  the  final 
tilt. 

"  It  does,"  he  said ;  "  but  I  do  not  think  I  have 
the  pleasure  of  knowing  you." 

"  No,"  said  Brett,  "  you  haven't." 

"  Well  ?  "  said  the  other  man. 

"  The  fact  is,"  said  Brett,  "  I  heard  you  had 
been  in  London.  I  guessed  from  your  appearance 
that  you  might  be  a  King's  messenger,  and  it  was 
just  possible  that  the  Captain  Gaultier  in  whom  I 
was  interested  might  start  back  to  the  Continent 
to-night,  so  I  put  two  and  two  together,  don't  you 
see,  with  the  result  that  they  made  four,  a  thing 
which  doesn't  always  happen  in  deduction  if  in 
mathematics." 

Now,  Foreign  Office  messengers  are  not  chosen 
for  their  simplicity  or  general  want  of  intelligence. 
Captain  Gaultier  eyed  his  questioner  with  some 
degree  of  stern  suspicion  as  he  said  from  behind  his 
cigar — 


A    JOURNEY    TO   PARIS  75 

"  May  I  ask  who  you  are  ?  " 

"  Certainly,"  replied  Brett,  producing  his  card. 

After  a  quick  glance  at  the  pasteboard,  Gaultier 
continued — 

"  I  suppose,  Mr.  Brett,  you  have  some  motive 
in  addressing  me  ?  What  is  it  ?  " 

"  I  am  interested  in  the  fate  of  a  man  named 
Talbot,"  was  the  straightforward  reply,  "  and  as 
you  told  the  Under-Secretary  that  you  had  seen 
Talbot  crossing  to  Paris  in  company  with  a  lady 
last  Tuesday,  I  hoped  that  perhaps  you  would  not 
mind  discussing  the  matter  with  me." 

Captain  Gaultier  was  evidently  puzzled.  Private 
conversations  with  Under-Secretaries  of  State  are 
not,  as  a  rule,  public  property,  and  his  momentary 
intention  to  decline  further  conversation  with  this 
good-looking  and  fascinating  stranger  was  checked 
by  remembrance  of  the  fact. 

"Really,  Mr.  Brett,"  he  said,  "although  I  do 
not  question  the  accuracy  of  your  statement, 
you  will  readily  understand  that  I  can  hardly 
discuss  the  matter  with  you  under  the  circum- 
stances." 

"  Naturally.  You  would  not  be  holding  a  respon- 
sible position  in  His  Majesty's  service  if  you  were 
at  all  likely  to  do  any  such  thing.  But  I  propose, 
in  the  first  instance,  to  reassure  you  as  to  my  bona 
fides,  and  I  may  point  out,  in  the  second  place, 
that  as  I  have  met  you  by  a  fortunate  chance,  you 
can  hardly  deem  it  a  breach  of  confidence  to  discuss 
with  me  the  mere  accidental  appearance  on  a  cross- 
Channel  steamer  of  a  man  known  not  only  to  both 
of  us,  but  to  society  at  large." 

Gaultier  clearly  hesitated,  but  did  not  refuse  to 
accept  the  Under-Secretary's  letter,  which  Brett 
handed  to  him,  with  the  words — 


76         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  You  know  the  handwriting,  no  doubt  ?  '* 

"  That  speaks  for  itself."  The  King's  messenger 
smiled  when  he  returned  the  note.  "It  is  an  odd 
coincidence,"  he  added,  "  and  still  more  curious 
that  you  should  spot  me  so  readily.  However,  Mr. 
Brett,  we  have  now  cleared  the  air.  What  can  I 
do  for  you  ?  " 

"  Simply  this,"  said  the  barrister ;  "  do  you 
mind  telling  me  how  you  came  to  recognize  Mr. 
Talbot  ?  " 

"  Well,  for  one  thing,"  was  the  thoughtful  reply, 
"  I  knew  his  overcoat.  I  often  met  Talbot  in  the 
Foreign  Office,  and  one  day  he  drove  me  to  his 
club  wearing  a  very  handsome  coat  lined  with 
astrachan.  It  struck  me  as  a  peculiarly  comfortable 
and  well-fitting  one,  and  although  there  are  plenty 
of  men  about  town  who  may  possess  astrachan 
coats,  it  is  a  reasonable  assumption  that  this  was 
the  identical  garment  when  it  happened  to  be  worn 
by  the  man  himself." 

"  Then  you  are  quite  certain  it  was  Talbot  ?  " 
went  on  the  barrister. 

"  Quite  certain." 

"  Would  you  swear  it  was  he,  though  his  life 
depended  on  your  accuracy  ?  " 

"  Well,  no,  perhaps  not  that ;  but  I  would  certainly 
swear  that  I  believed  it  was  Mr.  Talbot." 

"  Ah,  that  is  a  material  difference.  The  only 
way  in  which  you  could  be  positively  certain 
was  to  enter  into  conversation  with  him,  was  it 
not  ?  " 

"  Yes,  that  is  so." 

"  I  do  not  want  you  to  think,  Captain  Gaultier, 
that  I  am  cross-examining  you.  .Let  me  tell  you 
at  once  that  I  believe  you  saw  someone  masquerad- 
ing in  Talbot's  clothes,  and  made  up  to  represent 


A    JOURNEY    TO   PARIS  77 

him.  Was  there  anything  about  his  appearance 
that  might  lend  credence  to  such  a  view  ?  " 

The  other  reflected  a  little  while  before  answer- 
ing. 

"  There  was  only  one  thing,"  he  said — "  he  did 
not  seem  to  notice  me.  Now,  he  is  a  sharp  sort 
of  chap,  and  as  it  was  broad  daylight  and  a  fine 
day,  he  must  have  seen  me,  for  he  knows  me  well. 
Again,  from  all  that  I  have  heard  of  him,  I  do  not 
think  that  he  would  either  pass  an  acquaintance 
without  speaking  to  him,  nor  take  flying  trips 
to  the  Continent  with  ladies  of  the  music-hall  per- 
suasion." 

"  You  have  supplied  two  very  powerful  reasons 
why  the  individual  you  saw  should  not  be  Jack 
Talbot.  Yet,  as  you  say,  it  was  broad  daylight, 
and  you  had  a  good  look  at  him." 

"  No,  no,"  interrupted  the  other.  "  I  had  a  good 
look  at  his  coat — and  the  lady.  Whoever  the  man 
was,  he  appeared  to  be  wrapped  up  in  both  of 
them,  and  he  certainly  did  not  court  observation. 
I  naturally  thought  that  the  feminine  attachment 
accounted  for  this,  and  for  the  same  reason,  I  did 
not  even  seek  to  scrutinize  him  too  closely.  To 
put  the  thing  in  a  nutshell,  I  saw  a  man  whom  I 
believed  to  be  Jack  Talbot — and  who  certainly 
resembled  him  in  face  and  figure — attired  in  Talbot's 
clothes,  and  wearing  a  coat  which  I  had  noted  so 
particularly  as  to  be  able  to  describe  it  to  my  tailor 
when  ordering  a  similar  one.  Add  to  that  the 
appearance  of  an  attractive  lady,  young  and  un- 
known, and  you  have  my  soul  laid  bare  to  you  in 
the  matter." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Brett.  "  I  am  much  obliged." 

He  would  have  quitted  the  saloon,  but  Captain 
Gaultier  laughed — 


78         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  Hold  on  a  bit :  it  is  my  turn  now.  Suppose  I 
try  to  pump  you." 

A  giant  wave  took  hold  of  the  vessel  and  shook 
her  violently,  and  Brett,  though  an  average  amateur 
sailor,  felt  that  the  saloon  was  no  place  for  him. 

"  Between  you  and  the  ship,  Captain  Gaultier," 
he  said,  "  the  success  of  the  operation  would  be 
certain.  I  have  secured  a  quiet  corner  of  the  deck. 
If  you  wish  for  further  talk  we  must  adjourn 
there." 

The  transit  was  effected  without  incident,  much 
to  Brett's  relief.  After  a  minute  or  two  he  felt  that 
a  cigar  was  possible.  He  turned  to  his  companion 
with  a  quiet  observation — 

"  The  vessel  has  failed.     You  can  start  now." 

"Well,"  said  Gaultier,  "  teU  me  what  is  the 
mystery  attaching  to  Talbot's  movements.  I  only 
heard  the  vaguest  of  rumours  in  the  Department, 
but  something  very  terrible  appears  to  have  happened, 
and,  indeed,  I  heartily  wished  I  had  kept  my  mouth 
shut  concerning  my  supposed  meeting  with  him 
last  Tuesday,  as  the  affair  was  no  business  of  mine. 
Moreover,  you  have  now  somewhat  shaken  my 
belief  in  his  identity,  although  I  can  hardly  tell 
you  why  that  should  be  so." 

Brett  paused  to  make  sure  that  no  one  would 
overhear  him,  but  the  fierce  wind  whistling  round 
the  chart  house  and  bridge,  the  seas  that  smote 
the  ship's  quarter  with  a  thunderous  noise,  the  all- 
pervading  sense  of  riotous  fury  in  the  elements, 
rendered  the  precaution  almost  unnecessary.  In 
any  case,  there  was  no  one  near  enough  to  act  the 
part  of  eavesdropper,  and  Brett,  exercising  the 
rapid  decision  which  frequently  impressed  others 
as  a  gift  of  divination,  determined  that  to  let  such 
a  man  as  the  King's  messenger  into  the  secret 


A    JOURNEY    TO   PARIS  79 

could  not  possibly  be  harmful  to  the  interests  of 
his  client,  whilst  his  help  might  be  beneficial. 

In  the  fewest  possible  words,  therefore,  he  poured 
the  tale  into  the  other's  wondering  ear.  When  he 
had  finished,  Gaultier  remained  silent  a  few  minutes. 

Already  the  clear  radiance  of  the  magnificent  light 
at  Calais  was  sending  intermittent  flashes  of  bright- 
ness over  the  deck,  and  the  long  shoulder  of  Cape 
Grisnez  was  thrusting  the  force  of  the  gale  back 
into  mid-Channel. 

"  I  think,"  said  Gaultier,  speaking  slowly  and 
thoughtfully,  "  that  your  view  is  the  right  one, 
Mr.  Brett.  There  is  much  more  in  this  business  than 
meets  the  eye,  and  any  man  who  believes  that 
Jack  Talbot  would  mix  himself  up  in  it  must  be  a 
most  determined  ass.  Of  course,  such  people  do 
exist,  but  they  shouldn't  be  in  the  police  force. 
You  are  going  on  to  Paris,  you  said  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Then  we  can  travel  together.  All  that  you 
have  said  is  quite  new  to  me.  Curiously  enough,  I 
have  just  returned  from  Constantinople,  and  I  may 
be  able  to  assist  you." 

Brett  silently  thanked  his  stars  for  the  gratuitous 
circumstance  which  threw  him  into  the  company 
of  Captain  Gaultier.  He  recognized  that  the  King's 
messenger,  with  the  precaution  that  might  be 
expected  from  one  whose  daily  life  demanded  extreme 
prudence,  desired  to  mentally  review  the  strange 
facts  made  known  to  him  before  he  committed 
himself  further.  With  ready  tact  the  barrister 
changed  the  conversation  to  matters  of  the  moment 
until  they  reached  the  pier  at  Calais,  when  both 
men,  not  encumbered  with  much  luggage,  were 
among  the  first  flight  of  passengers  to  reach  the 
station  buffet. 


80         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

Oil  their  way  they  captured  a  railway  official 
and  told  him  to  reserve  a  coupe  lit  compartment.  In 
the  midst  of  their  hasty  meal  the  Frenchman  arrived, 
voluble,  apologetic.  The  train  was  crowded.  Never 
had  theie  been  such  a  rush  to  the  South.  By  the 
exercise  of  most  profound  care  he  had  secured  them 
two  seats  in  a  compartment,  but  the  third  had 
already  taken  itself.  He  was  sorry  for  it ;  he  had 
done  his  best. 

When  they  entered  their  carriage  the  third 
occupant  was  in  possession.  He  was  French, 
aggressively  so.  Phil  May  might  have  used  him  for 
a  model.  The  poor  man  had  been  wretchedly  ill 
from  the  moment  he  left  Dover  until  the  vessel 
was  tied  to  her  berth  in  the  harbour  at  Calais. 
He  paid  not  the  least  attention  to  the  newcomers, 
being  apparently  absorbed  in  contemplation  of  his 
own  misery.  The  two  Englishmen,  though  experi- 
enced travellers,  were  sufficiently  insular  to  resent 
the  presence  of  the  stranger,  whom  Brett  resolved 
to  put  to  the  language  test  forthwith. 

"  It  is  very  cold  in  here,"  he  said.  "  Shall  I 
turn  on  the  hot  air  ?  " 

The  Frenchman  seemed  to  understand  that  he 
was  addressed.  He  looked  up  with  a  shivering  smile 
and  explained  that  he  had  only  booked  one  seat. 
The  remainder  of  the  compartment  was  at  their  dis- 
posal. He  was  evidently  guiltless  of  acquaintance 
with  the  English  tongue,  but  Erett  did  not  like  his 
appearance. 

Though  well-dressed  and  well-spoken  he  was  a 
nondescript  individual,  and  the  flash  of  his  dark  eyes 
was  not  reassuring.  Yet  the  man  was  so  ill  that 
Brett  forthwith  dismissed  him  from  his  thoughts, 
though  he  took  care  to  occupy  the  centre  seat  him- 
self, thus  placing  Captain  Gaultier  on  the  other  side 


A    JOURNEY    TO   PARIS  81 

of  the  carriage.  After  a  visit  from  the  ticket 
examiner,  the  Frenchman  disposed  himself  for  a  nap 
and  the  train  started. 

Captain  Gaultier  by  this  time  had  made  up  his 
mind  as  to  the  information  he  felt  he  could  give  his 
new  acquaintance. 

"  It  is  very  odd,"  he  said,  "  that  those  diamonds 
should  disappear  just  at  the  moment  when  there  is 
every  sign  of  unrest  in  Turkey.  You  know,  of 
course,  the  manner  of  the  last  Sultan's  death  ?  " 

Brett  nodded. 

"  And  you  have  heard,  no  doubt,  something  of  the 
precautions  taken  by  the  present  Sultan  to  safe- 
guard his  life  against  the  attacks  of  possible  assas- 
sins ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Brett. 

"  Well,  these  have  been  redoubled  of  late,  and  the 
man  never  goes  out  that  he  is  not  in  the  most  abject 
state  of  fear.  He  is  a  pitiful  sight,  I  assure  you.  I 
saw  him  less  than  a  fortnight  ago,  driving  to  the 
Mosque  on  Friday,  and  his  coachman  evidently  had 
orders  to  go  at  a  gallop  through  the  streets,  whilst 
not  only  was  the  entire  road  protected  by  soldiers, 
but  every  house  was  examined  previously  by  police 
agents.  There  is  something  in  the  wind  of  more  than 
usual  importance  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Yildiz 
Kiosk  just  now,  I  am  certain.  I  suppose  you  did 
not  chance  to  see  any  mention  of  the  fact  that 
Hussein-ul-Mulk,  the  Sultan's  nephew,  has  recently 
fled  from  Turkey,  and  is  now  under  the  protection 
of  the  French  Government  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  noticed  that." 

"  You  don't  seem  to  miss  much,"  was  Gaultier's 
sharp  remark,  pausing  in  his  narrative  to  light  a  cigar. 

"  One  of  my  few  virtues  is  that  I  read  the  news- 
papers." 

r 


82          THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

The  train  was  slowing  down  as  it  neared  the  town 
station  in  Calais,  and  Gaultier's  voice  could  be 
momentarily  heard  above  the  diminishing  rattle. 

"Well,"  he  said,  "I  happen  to  know  Hussein-ul- 
Mulk,  and  if  we  find  out  where  he  lives  in  Paris  I 
will  introduce  you  to  him. ' ' 

Brett  looked  at  the  slumbering  Frenchman  out  of 
the  corner  of  his  eye.  The  man  appeared  to  be 
dozing  peacefully  enough,  but  the  alert  barrister 
had  an  impression  that  his  limbs  were  not  sufficiently 
relaxed  under  the  influence  of  slumber.  Indeed,  he 
felt  sure  that  the  Frenchman  was  wide  awake  and 
endeavouring  to  catch  the  drift  of  their  conversation. 

"  I  will  be  most  pleased  to  meet  your  friend, 
Captain  Gaultier,"  he  said,  "and  lest  it  should  slip 
your  memory  I  will  give  you  a  reminder." 

He  opened  his  card-case  and  wrote  on  the  back 
of  a  card:  "Grand  Hotel.  Breakfast  11-30.  No 
more  at  present." 

The  quick-witted  King's  messenger  read  and 
understood. 

"It  seems  to  me,"  he  went  on,  "that  he  is  the 
very  man  for  your  purpose.  Though  he  is  not  in 
favour  at  Court  just  now  he  has  plenty  of  friends 
in  the  various  departments,  and  he  could  give  you 
letters  which  would  be  certain  to  secure  you  some 
excellent  orders.  I  suppose  you  are  going  to  the 
East  as  the  result  of  the  rumoured  intention  of  the 
Turkish  Government  to  reconstitute  the  navy." 

Brett  made  a  haphazard  guess  at  Gaultier's  mean- 
ing. 

"Yes,"  he  said,  "  we  ought  to  place  a  good  many 
thousand  tons  with  them. ' ' 

Gaultier  leant  forward  to  strike  a  match  and 
glanced  at  their  companion.  For  some  indescribable 
teason  he  shared  Brett's  views  concerning  this  gentle- 


A   JOURNEY    TO    PARIS  83 

man,  and  immediately  started  a  conversation  of 
general  significance.  They  soon  discovered  that 
they  had  several  mutual  acquaintances,  and  in  this 
way  they  passed  the  dreary  journey  to  Paris  plea- 
santly enough. 

At  the  Gare  du  Nord,  their  knowledge  of  French 
methods  enabled  them  to  get  quickly  clear  of  the 
octroi,  as  neither  of  them  had  any  baggage  which 
rendered  their  presence  necessary  at  the  Custom- 
house. The  Frenchman,  who  seemed  to  be  tho- 
roughly revived  by  the  air  of  his  beloved  Paris, 
hurried  out  simultaneously  with  themselves.  He 
had  no  difficulty  in  hearing  Brett's  directions  to  a 
cabman.  Gaultier  entered  another  vehicle. 

Brett  was  the  first  away  from  the  station.  He 
fancied  he  saw  his  French  travelling  companion 
hastily  whisper  something  to  a  lounger  near  the 
exit,  so  he  suddenly  pulled  up  his  voiture,  gave  the 
driver  a  two-franc  piece  and  told  him  to  go  to  the 
Grand  Hotel  and  there  await  his  arrival.  The  cab 
had  halted  for  the  moment  in  the  Rue  Lafayette,  at 
the  corner  of  the  Place  Valenciennes,  and  the  cabman, 
recognizing  that  his  fare  was  an  Englishman  and 
consequently  mad,  drove  off  immediately  in  obedi- 
ence to  orders. 

Though  nearly  six  o'clock  in  the  morning,  it  was 
quite  dark,  but  as  Brett  walked  rapidly  back  to- 
wards the  station  he  had  no  difficulty  in  picking  out 
Gaultier,  who  occupied  an  open  vehicle.  Some  little 
distance  behind  came  another,  and  herein  the  bar- 
rister thought  he  recognized  the  man  to  whom  the 
Frenchman  in  the  train  had  spoken.  By  this  time 
many  other  cabs  were  dashing  out  of  the  station- 
yard,  so  Brett  took  the  chance  that  he  might  be 
hopelessly  wrong. 

He  hailed  a  third  vehicle  and  told  the  driver  to 


&4         THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

follow  the  other  two,  which  were  now  some  distance 
down  the  Rue  Lafayette.  Not  until  the  three  cabs 
had  crossed  the  Place  de  1' Opera  and  passed  the 
Madeleine  could  Brett  be  certain  that  the  occupant 
of  the  second  was  following  his  friend  Gaultier. 
Then  he  chuckled  to  himself,  for  this  was  surely  a 
rare  stroke  of  luck. 

Quickly  reviewing  the  possibilities  of  the  affair, 
he  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  travelling  French- 
man really  understood  little,  if  any,  English,  but 
that  he  had  caught  the  name  of  the  fugitive  from  the 
Sultan's  wrath  and  had  forthwith  betrayed  an 
interest  in  their  conversation  which  was,  to  say  the 
least,  remarkable.  At  the  exit  from  the  Gare  du 
Nord  the  stranger  had  readily  enough  ascertained 
Brett's  destination,  but  he  clearly  regarded  it  as 
important  that  Gaultier — the  man  who  claimed 
Hussein-ul-Mulk  as  a  friend — should  be  tracked, 
and  had  given  the  necessary  instructions  to  the  con- 
federate who  awaited  his  arrival. 

Although  Gaultier  had  not  said  as  much,  Brett 
guessed  that  his  destination  was  the  British  Embassy 
in  the  Rue  du  Faubourg  St.  Honore.  The  route  fol- 
lowed by  the  cabman  led  straight  to  that  well-known 
locality.  The  Frenchman  in  the  second  cab  evi- 
dently thought  likewise,  for,  at  the  corner  of  the  Rue 
Boissy  he  pulled  up,  and  Brett  was  just  in  time  to 
give  his  driver  instructions  to  go  ahead  and  thus 
avoid  attracting  undue  notice  to  himself. 

Gaultier  turned  into  the  Embassy,  and  Brett  him- 
self halted  a  little  further  on.  Dismissing  his  cocker 
with  a  liberal  fare,  he  walked  rapidly  back,  and  saw 
the  spy  enter  into  conversation  with  the  night  porter 
on  duty.  The  latter  persorage,  however,  was  clearly 
a  trustworthy  official,  for  he  loudly  told  the  other 
to  be  off  and  attend  to  his  own  affairs. 


A    JOURNEY    TO   PARIS  85 

Then  followed  a  most  exciting  and  perplexing 
chase  through  many  streets,  and  it  was  only  by  the 
exercise  of  the  utmost  discretion  that  Brett  finally 
located  his  man  at  a  definite  number  in  the  Rue 
Barbette,  a  tiny  thoroughfare  in  the  Temple  dis- 
trict. 

By  this  time  dawn  was  advancing  over  Paris,  and 
the  streets  were  beginning  to  fill  with  early  workers. 
He  inquired  from  a  passer-by  the  most  likely  locality 
in  which  he  could  find  a  cab,  and  the  man  civilly 
conducted  him  to  the  Rue  de  Rivoli.  Thence  he 
was  not  long  in  reaching  the  Grand  Hotel,  where  he 
found  the  astonished  cocker  of  his  first  vehicle  still 
safeguarding  his  bag  and  arguing  fiercely  with  a 
porter  that  he  had  unquestionably  obeyed  the 
Englishman's  instructions. 

Tired  though  he  was,  Brett  did  not  fail  to  scruti- 
nize the  list  of  arrivals  at  the  hotel  on  the  preceding 
Tuesday.  He  instantly  found  the  entry  he  sought. 
The  arrival  of  "  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Talbot,  London," 
was  chronicled  in  the  register  with  uncompromising 
boldness.  Hastily  comparing  the  writing  in  Talbot's 
letter  with  that  of  the  visitors'  book,  Brett  was  at 
first  staggered  by  their  similarity,  but  he  quickly 
recognized  the  well-known  signs  which  indicate  that 
a  man  who  himself  writes  a  bold  and  confident  hand 
has  been  copying  the  signature  of  another  with  the 
object  of  reproducing  it  freely  and  with  reasonable 
accuracy.  There  are  always  perceptible  differences 
in  the  varying  pressure  of  the  pen  and  the  distribu 
tion  of  the  ink. 

Allowance  had  evidently  not  been  made  for  the 
fact  that  Englishmen  almost  invariably  write  their 
names  very  badly  in  Continental  hotel  registers, 
owing  to  their  inability  to  use  foreign  pens.  The 
man  Who  not  only  forged  Mr.  Talbot's  namfr,  but 


86        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

also  supplied  him  with  a  wife,  laboured  under  no 
such  disadvantage.  Indeed,  Talbot  himself  would 
probably  not  have  written  his  own  name  so 
legibly. 

"  That  is  all  right,"  said  Brett  wearily,  traversing 
a  corridor  to  gain  his  room.  "  Now,  I  wonder  if 
there  is  any  connexion  between  Hussein-ul-Mulk 
and  the  Rue  Barbette." 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE  HOUSE  IN  THE  RUE  BARBETTE 

BRETT  was  called  at  ten  o'clock.  After  rein- 
vigorating  himself  with  a  bath  and  a  hearty 
breakfast,  he  was  ready  to  meet  Captain  Gaultier, 
who  arrived  promptly  at  11.30. 

In  the  spacious  foyer  of  the  Grand  Hotel  it  was 
impossible  to  say  who  might  be  looking  at  them. 

"  Come  to  my  room,"  said  Brett.  "  There  we  will 
be  able  to  talk  without  interruption." 

Once  comfortably  seated,  Brett  resumed  the  con- 
versation where  he  had  broken  it  off  in  the  train 
overnight. 

"  You  say  you  know  Hussein-ul-Mulk,"  he  com- 
menced. 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  King's  messenger,  "  and  what 
is  more,  I  have  discovered  his  residence  since  we 
parted.  It  seems  that  one  of  the  attaches  at  the 
Embassy  met  him  recently  and  thought  it  advisable 
to  keep  in  touch  with  the  Young  Turkish  party,  of 
which  Hussein-ul-Mulk  is  a  shining  light.  So  he 
asked  him  where  he  lived,  and  as  the  result  I  have 
jotted  down  the  address  iv  my  notebook."  Gaultier 
searched  through  his  memoranda,  and  speedily  found 
what  he  wanted. 


88        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  Wait  a  minute,"  interrupted  Brett.  "  Does  it 
happen  to  be  No.  n,  Rue  Barbette  ?  " 

The  barrister  had  more  than  once  surprised 
his  companion  during  the  previous  night,  but  this 
time  Gaultier  seemed  to  be  more  annoyed  than 
startled. 

"  If  you  know  all  these  things,"  he  said  stiffly,  "  I 
don't  see  why  you  should  bother  me  to  get  you  the 
information.  I  certainly  gathered  from  your  re- 
marks that  the  only  acquaintance  you  had  with 
Hussein-ul-Mulk  was  obtained  from  the  newspapers, 
and  that  individual  himself  has  the  best  of  reasons 
for  not  publishing  his  address  broadcast." 

Brett  smiled. 

"  You  mean,"  he  said,  "  that  Hussein-ul-Mulk 
does  live  at  No.  n,  Rue  Barbette." 

"  Why,  of  course  he  does,"  was  the  irritable 
answer. 

"  That  is  very  odd,"  said  the  barrister.  "  It  was 
a.  mere  guess  on  my  part,  I  assure  you." 

His  assurance  evidently  did  not  weigh  much  with 
Captain  Gaultier,  who  replaced  the  note-book  in  his 
pocket,  and  obviously  cast  about  in  his  mind  for  a 
convenient  excuse  to  take  his  departure. 

Brett  knew  exactly  what  was  troubling  him. 

"  I  am  quite  in  earnest,"  he  said,  "  in  telling  you 
that  I  simply  hazarded  a  guess  at  the  address.  To 
prove  that  this  is  so,  I  must  place  you  in  possession 
of  certain  incidents  which  took  place  after  we  parted 
at  the  Gare  du  Nord." 

Rapidly  but  succinctly  he  told  the  amazed  King's 
messenger  of  the  chase  in  the  cab  across  Paris,  and 
how  he  (Brett)  had  followed  the  Frenchman  who 
was  tracking  Gaultier's  movements  so  closely. 

"  You  will  understand,"  he  concluded,  "  that,  in 
view  of  my  preconceived  theory,  it  was  not  a  very 


THE  HOUSE  IN  THE  RUE  BARBETTE  89 

far-fetched  assumption  to  connect  Hussein-ul-Mulk 
with  the  house  in  the  Rue  Barbette  into  which  your 
spy  vanished." 

"  Well,"  gasped  his  astonished  hearer,  "  I  must 
say,  Mr.  Brett,  that  I  owe  you  an  apology.  I  really 
thought  at  first  you  were  fooling  me,  whereas  now  I 
learn  that  you  simply  kept  your  eyes  open  much 
wider  than  other  people,  perhaps.  Nevertheless,  you 
have  given  me  a  genuine  explanation  of  circum- 
stances that  were  otherwise  puzzling.  For,  do  you 
know,  I  heard  about  that  chap  calling  at  the  Em- 
bassy last  night.  The  incident  was  unusual,  to  say 
the  least,  but  I  paid  little  attention  to  it,  and  cer- 
tainly failed  altogether  to  connect  it  with  your  visit 
to  Paris.  Even  yet  I  do  not  see  what  reason  anyone 
can  have  for  shadowing  my  movements." 

"  I  regard  it  as  mere  chance.  I  imagine  that  our 
fellow-passenger  in  the  train  caught  the  name  of 
Hussein-ul-Mulk  in  our  conversation,  and  this  de- 
cided him  to  shadow  your  movements,  by  means  of 
the  confederate  who  awaited  his  arrival  at  the 
station.  As  it  happened,  they  simply  hit  upon  the 
wrong  person.  It  might  have  paid  them  much 
better  to  follow  me.  The  outcome  of  the  blunder 
is  that  I  am  in  a  fair  way  towards  ascertaining  all  I 
want  to  know  about  them,  whereas,  up  to  the  present, 
they  do  not  even  suspect  my  existence  as  an  active 
agent  in  the  affair." 

"  Well,  now,  in  what  way  can  I  help  you  regarding 
Hussein-ul-Mulk  ?  " 

"  Can  you  introduce  me  to  him  ?  " 

"  In  what  capacity  ?  " 

Brett  reflected  for  a  moment  before  replying. 

"  It  would  best  suit  my  purpose  if  I  met  him  as  a 
political  sympathiser." 

Gaultier  evidently  did  not  like  the  idea.     Foreign 


90          THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

Office  messengers  do  not  care  to  be  associated  with 
politics  in  any  shape  or  form. 

"  Is  there  no  other  way  ?  "  he  asked  dubiously. 

"  Plenty,"  said  Brett.  "  I  might  pose  as  a  friend 
of  yours  interested  in  Turkish  carpets,  or  coffee,  or 
cigarettes,  but  for  the  purpose  of  my  inquiry  it 
would  be  well  to  jump  preliminaries  at  once  and 
make  this  chance  acquaintance  under  the  guise  of  a 
wire-puller." 

"  All  right,"  said  Gaultier.  "  I  don't  see  that  it 
matters  much  to  me,  and  the  letter  you  have  in  your 
possession  from  the  Under-Secretary  is  sufficient 
warrant  for  me  to  give  you  any  assistance  that  lies 
in  my  power." 

He  glanced  at  his  watch.  "  It  is  just  about  time 
for  dejeuner"  he  continued.  "  What  do  you  say  if 
we  drive  to  the  Rue  Barbette  at  once  ?  " 

The  barrister  assented,  and  they  were  soon  cross- 
ing Paris  with  the  superb  disregard  for  other  people's 
feelings  that  characterises  the  local  cab-driver. 

"  By  the  way,"  inquired  Gaultier,  "  have  you 
learned  anything  else  since  your  arrival  ?  " 

"  Only  this — it  was  not  our  friend  Talbot  who 
came  here  on  Tuesday  with  a  lady." 

"  You  are  sure  ?  " 

"  Positive.  I  have  compared  the  handwriting  in 
the  hotel  register  with  a  letter  undoubtedly  written 
by  Mr.  Talbot,  and  the  two  do  not  agree.  The  entry 
'  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Talbot,  London,'  in  the  visitors'  book 
of  the  Grand  Hotel,  was  a  mere  trick  intended  to 
amuse  the  police  for  a  few  hours  until  the  conspira- 
tors had  perfected  their  scheme  for  final  and  com- 
plete disappearance." 

"  It  was  a  bold  move." 

"  Very.  Quite  in  keeping  with  the  rest  of  the 
details  of  an  uncommon  crime." 


THE  HOUSE  IN  THE  RUE  BARBETTE  91 

At  last  the  fiacre  stopped  in  front  of  the  house  in 
the  Rue  Barbette  which  Brett  had  already  scrutinized 
during  the  early  hours  of  the  morning. 

"  Here  we  are,"  said  Gaultier  with  a  laugh.  "  If 
we  find  Hussein-ul-Mulk  at  home  I  don't  know  what 
the  deuce  we  are  going  to  say  to  him.  Remember 
that  I  depend  on  you  to  carry  out  a  difficult  situation, 
because  my  Turkish  friend  will  become  suspicious 
the  minute  he  finds  me  dabbling  in  intrigue.  He 
knows  full  well  that  such  matters  are  quite  outside 
of  my  usual  business." 

"  I  think  I  will  be  able  to  interest  him,"  said  Brett 
calmly  ;  and  without  further  preliminary  Gaultier 
ascertained  from  the  concierge  that  the  Turkish 
gentleman  was  within. 

The  two  men  ascended  to  the  second  storey. 

Gaultier  rapped  loudly  on  the  first  door  he  en- 
countered, and  the  summons  appeared  to  scatter 
some  of  the  inhabitants,  judging  by  the  rapid  opening 
and  closing  of  doors  that  preceded  the  appearance 
of  an  elderly  and  solemn-looking  Turk,  who  cau- 
tiously demanded  their  business. 

Gaultier  sent  in  his  card,  and  the  servitor  locked 
the  door  in  the  faces  of  the  two  men  while  he  went 
to  ascertain  his  master's  orders. 

"  They  evidently  do  not  mean  to  take  many  risks," 
said  the  King's  messenger  in  a  low  voice. 

"You  are  right,"  replied  Brett,  "though  they 
appear  to  take  the  greatest  one  of  all  without  giving 
it  a  thought." 

"  And  what  is  that  ?  " 

"  This  exhibition  of  nervousness  and  precaution 
before  visitors  are  admitted.  The  best  way  to  excite 
suspicion  is  to  behave  exactly  as  they  are  doing." 

But  now  the  door  was  reopened,  and  the  elderly 
Turk  ushered  them  into  a  spacious  room  on  the  right 


92         THE    ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

of  the  entrance  hall,  where  they  were  received  by  a 
young  man — a  tall,  dignified  Mohammedan,  who 
rose  hastily  from  a  chair,  having  apparently  aban- 
doned the  perusal  of  a  newspaper. 

"  Ah  !  mon  brave  Gaultier,"  he  cried,  "  I  am  so 
pleased  to  see  you.  I  did  not  know  you  were  in 
Paris.  I  have  been  spending  an  idle  moment  over 
smoke  and  scandal."  He  spoke  excellent  French, 
and  appeared  to  be  quite  at  his  ease,  but  Brett 
noticed  that  Hussein-ul-Mulk  held  the  discarded 
newspaper  upside  down.  He  was  smoking  a  cigar- 
ette, lighted  the  instant  before  their  appearance,  and 
notwithstanding  his  Oriental  phlegm  he  seemed  to 
be  labouring  under  intense  excitement. 

Nevertheless,  Hussein-ul-Mulk  could  control  his 
nerves. 

"  Have  you  had  dejefiner,  or  have  you  time  to  join 
me  in  a  cigarette  ?  "  he  went  on. 

"  We  will  be  delighted,"  said  Gaultier,  taking  the 
proffered  case.  "  The  fact  is,  I  only  heard  of  your 
presence  in  Paris  by  accident,  and  I  mentioned  the 
fact  to  my  friend  here,  who  has  interested  himself  in 
the  Armenian  cause  in  London.  He  at  once  ex- 
pressed a  keen  desire  to  make  your  acquaintance, 
so  I  ventured  to  bring  him  here  and  introduce  him 
to  you.  This  is  Mr.  Reginald  Brett,  an  English 
barrister,  and  one  who  keenly  sympathizes  with  the 
reform  movement  in  Turkey." 

"  I  am  delighted  to  know  you,  Mr.  Brett,"  said 
the  suave  Oriental.  "  It  is  naturally  a  great  pleasure 
to  me  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  any  influential 
Englishman  who  has  given  sufficient  thought  to 
Eastern  affairs  to  understand  the  way  in  which  my 
country  suffers  under  a  barbarous  and  unenlightened 
rule." 

He  spoke  vnth  the  glibness  of  a  born  agitator,  yet 


THE  HOUSE  IN  THE  RUE  BARBETTE  93 

all  the  while  he  was  inwardly  wondering  what  could 
be  the  true  motive  of  the  visit  paid  him  by  this  dis- 
tinguished-looking stranger,  and  Brett  was  silently 
resolving  to  startle  Hussein-ul-Mulk  out  of  his  com- 
placency at  the  earliest  possible  moment. 

"  It  is  an  even  greater  pleasure  to  me,"  he  said, 
"  to  find  myseli  talking  to  a  reformer  so  distinguished 
as  you  Your  name  is  well  known  in  England.  In- 
deed, in  some  quarters,  it  has  come  to  be  feared, 
which  in  this  world  is  one  of  the  signs  of  success." 

Hussein-ul-Mulk  was  puzzled,  but  he  remained 
outwardly  unperturbed. 

"  I  was  not  aware,"  he  purred,  "  that  my  poor 
services  to  my  country  were  so  appreciated  by  my 
English  friends." 

"  Ah,"  said  Brett,  with  a  smile  that  conveyed 
much,  "  a  man  like  you  cannot  long  remain  hidden. 
I  have  good  reason  to  know  that  at  the  present 
moment  your  achievements  are  earnestly  attracting 
the  attention  of  the  Foreign  Office." 

Hussein-ul-Mulk  became  even  more  puzzled. 
Indeed,  he  exhibited  some  slight  tokens  of  alarm 
lest  Brett's  vehement  admiration  should  reach  the 
ears  of  others  in  the  adjoining  room. 

"  Really,"  he  said,  "  you  flatter  me.  Will  you 
not  try  these  cigarettes  ?  They  are  the  best ;  they 
are  made  from  tobacco  grown  especially  for  the 
Sultan's  household,  and  it  is  death  to  export  them. 
I  understand  that  the  cigarette  habit  has  grown  very 
much  of  recent  years  in  England  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Brett,  "  it  certainly  has  developed 
with  amazing  rapidity.  In  trade,  as  in  politics,  this 
is  an  astounding  age." 

Gaultier  knew  that  there  was  more  behind  the 
apparent  exchange  of  compliments  than  appeared 
on  the  surface.  Having  iulfilled  his  pledge  to  Brett, 


94         THE   ALBERT   GATE    AFFAIR 

he  said  hurriedly,  "  Both  of  you  gentlemen  will 
understand  that  I  cannot  very  well  take  part  in  a 
political  discussion.  Witt  your  permission,  Hussein, 
I  will  now  leave  my  friend  with  you  for  a  half-hour's 
chat,  as  I  have  an  appointment  at  the  Cafe  Riche." 

Although  Hussein  was  profoundly  disconcerted 
by  Brett's  manner  no  less  than  his  utterances,  he 
could  not  well  refuse  to  accord  him  a  further  audience, 
so  Gaultier  quitted  the  apartment  and  the  English- 
man and  the  Mussulman  were  left  face  to  face. 

Brett  felt  that  the  situation  demanded  a  bold 
game.  Under  some  circumstances  he  knew  that 
to  throw  away  the  scabbard  and  dash  with  naked 
sword  into  the  fray  was  the  right  policy. 

"  I  came  to  see  you,  Hussein-ul-Mulk,"  he  said, 
speaking  deliberately,  "  not  only  because  I  have  an 
interest  in  the  progressive  policy  voiced  by  the  young 
Turkish  party,  but  on  account  of  matters  of  per- 
sonal interest  to  you,  and  to  friends  of  mine  in 
England." 

The  Turk  bowed  silent  recognition  of  the  bar- 
rister's motives. 

"  You  are  aware,"  said  Brett,  "  that  a  large  num- 
ber of  valuable  diamonds  were  stolen  from  the 
special  Envoy  of  his  Majesty  the  Sultan,  in  London, 
last  Tuesday  night,  and  that  the  theft  was  ac- 
companied by  the  murder  of  four  of  the  Sultan's 
subjects  and  the  abduction  of  a  prominent  official 
in  the  British  Foreign  Office  ?  " 

It  is  difficult  for  an  olive-skinned  man  to  turn  pale, 
but  Hussein-ul-Mulk  did  the  next  most  effective 
thing  for  one  of  his  race.  His  face  assumed  a  dirty 
green  shade,  and  his  full  red  lips  whitened. 

For  some  few  seconds  he  strove  hard  to  regain  his 
composure  and  frame  a  reply,  but  Brett,  non- 
chalantly puffing  a  cloud  of  smoke  into  the  inter- 


THE  HOUSE  IN  THE  RUE  BARBETTE  95 

vening  space,  and  thus  helping  his  hearer  to  control 
his  emotions,  went  on — 

"  Pray  do  not  trouble  to  deny  your  knowledge 
of  the  fact.  It  is  far  better  for  men  of  the  world 
like  you  and  me  to  discard  subterfuge  when  engaged 
in  grave  and  difficult  negotiations.  I  do  not  purpose 
wasting  time  by  describing  to  you  the  details  of  a 
crime  with  which  you  are  thoroughly  acquainted. 
Let  me  say,  in  a  sentence,  that  my  chief,  perhaps  my 
only,  motive  in  coming  here  to-day  is  to  secure  the 
release  of  my  friend  Mr.  Talbot  from  the  place  where 
he  is  at  present  confined,  and  at  the  same  time  to 
obtain  from  you  a  statement  which  will  satisfac- 
torily clear  Mr.  Talbot  in  the  eyes  of  his  superiors 
of  all  personal  complicity  in  the  Albert  Gate  inci- 
dent." 

Again  there  was  a  breathless  silence. 

Hussein-ul-Mulk  had  regained  his  nerve.  He  was 
now  considering  how  best  he  could  dispose  of  this 
Englishman  who  knew  so  much.  To  purchase  his 
silence  was  too  hopeless.  He  must  die  as  speedily 
and  unostentatiously  as  possible.  So  he  answered 
not,  but  thought  hard  as  to  ways  and  means. 

Brett,  in  imminent  danger  of  his  life,  disregarded 
all  semblance  of  danger.  He  leaned  back  in  his 
chair,  closed  his  eyes  in  complete  enjoyment  of 
Hussein's  cigarettes,  which  were  really  excellent,  and 
said,  in  the  even,  matter-of-fact  tones  of  one  who  dis- 
cusses an  abstract  problem — 

"  Of  course,  my  dear  friend,  you  are  thinking  that 
the  best  answer  you  can  give  me  is  to  strangle  me 
or  to  shoot  me,  or  adopt  some  other  drastic  remedy 
which  finds  favour  in  Constantinople.  But  let  me 
point  out  to  you  that  this  will  be  a  serious  error  of 
judgment.  I  have  not  come  here  without  safe- 
guarding my  movements.  You  are  aware  that 


96         THE   ALBERT   GATE    AFFAIR 

Captain  Gaultier,  a  trusted  Foreign  Office  messen- 
ger, brought  me  here  in  person.  Some  members  ol 
the  British  Govemment,  and  several  important 
officials  of  Scotland  Yard  know  that  I  am  in  your  house 
and  discussing  this  matter  with  you.  If  any  acci- 
dent interferes  with  my  future  movements,  you  will 
simply  precipitate  a  crisis  quite  lamentable  in  its 
results  to  yourself,  to  your  association,  and  to  your 
cause.  You  will  see,  therefore,  Hussein,  that  to 
kill  me  cannot  really  be  thought  of.  A  man  of  your 
penetration  and  undoubted  sagacity  must  surely 
admit  this  at  once,  and  we  can  then  proceed  to  dis- 
cuss matters  in  a  friendly  and  pleasant  manner." 

At  last  Hussein  found  his  tongue.  "  I  have  never 
met  you  before,  Mr.  Brett,"  he  said,  "  but  you 
interest  me." 

Brett  smiled  and  bowed  in  acknowledgment  of  the 
compliment. 

"  Of  course,  I  admit  nothing,"  went  on  the  Mo- 
hammedan. 

"  Of  course." 

"  Least  of  all  do  I  admit  that  I  contemplated  any 
breach  of  hospitality  towards  yourself." 

Brett  waved  his  hand  in  deprecation  of  such  a 
pernicious  thought. 

"  But  you  will  understand,"  went  on  Hussein- 
ul-Mulk,  "  that  it  is  quite  impossible  for  me  to  even 
attempt  to  discuss  the  very  interesting  facts  you 
have  brought  to  my  notice  without  some  inquiry  on 
my  part,  and  on  yours  some  proof  that  the  events 
concerning  which  you  have  informed  me  have  really 
happened.  You  see,  one  cannot  trust  newspapers. 
They  get  such  garbled  accounts  of  occurrences, 

particularly  of  State  affairs  ;  they  are  misleading 
»» 

"  Excuse  me,  I  am  sure  you  will  admit  that  al- 


THE  HOUSE  IN  THE  RUE  BARBETTE  97 

though  I  dispensed  with  details  in  my  brief  state- 
ment, the  facts  were  undeniable.  I  can  tell  you 
exactly  how  and  why  Mehemet  Ali  and  his  two 
secretaries,  together  with  Hussein,  his  confidential 
servant,  were  murdered.  But  the  circumstances 
were  revolting,  and  need  not  be  unduly  discussed 
between  gentlemen.  I  can  tell  you  how  the  diamonds 
were  obtained  from  the  Albert  Gate  mansion,  and 
how  they  were  conveyed  to  Paris.  But  as  they  are 
probably  in  your  possession,  and  the  main  object  of 
your  enterprise  has  thus  been  accomplished,  it  seems 
to  me  that  all  these  otherwise  dramatic  effects  are 
needless.  I  have  told  you  exactly  the  object  of  my 
visit,  and  I  still  await  an  answer." 

Hussein-ul-Mulk  laughed  a  trifle  uneasily. 

"  On  my  part,  monsieur,  I  might  attempt  to 
question  the  extent  of  your  knowledge,  but  as  you 
are  mistaken  in  one  part  of  your  summing-up  of 
evidence,  you  may  be  wrong  in  others." 

"  To  what  do  you.  allude  ?  " 

The  Mohammedan  reflected  for  a  moment,  and 
then  answered — 

"  I  can  see  no  harm  in  telling  you  that  I  am  not 
aware  of  any  diamonds  in  which  I  am  personally 
interested  having  arrived  in  Paris." 

*'  Indeed !  "  said  Brett,  leaning  forward  in  his 
chair,  and  instantly  dropping  the  listless  air  which 
had  hitherto  characterized  his  utterances.  "  That 
is  a  very  curious  thing,  because  the  diamonds  have 
been  in  Paris  at  least  two  days,  and  if  they  are  with- 
held from  the  possession  of  those  who  employed  cer- 
tain agents  to  secure  them,  there  must  be  a  powerful 
reason  to  account  for  the  delay.  Speaking  quite 
disinterestedly,  monsieur,  I  would  advise  you  to 
inquire  into  the  matter  at  once." 

His  words  evidently  perturbed  the  Turk. 


98         THE   ALBERT    GATE   AFFAIR 

"  Will  you  object,"  he  said,  "  if  I  leave  you  alone 
a  few  minutes  ?  I  wish  to  consult  with  a  friend  of 
mine  who  happens  to  be  staying  here." 

"  Assuredly,"  said  Brett ; "  but  let  me  beg  you  to 
leave  your  cigarettes  behind.  They  are  exquisite." 

Hussein-ul-Mulk  had  never  before  encountered 
such  a  personality  as  Reginald  Brett.  His  eye- 
brows became  perfectly  oval  with  surprise  and  ad- 
miration for  the  man  who  could  thus  juggle  with  a 
dangerous  situation. 

"  Here  is  my  case,"  he  said,  "  and  when  we  have 
concluded  this  most  interesting  conversation  I  hope 
you  will  leave  me  your  address,  so  that  I  may  have 
the  extreme  pleasure  of  sending  you  a  few  hundreds." 

Then  he  quitted  the  room.  He  was  absent  fully 
five  minutes. 

On  his  return  he  said — 

"  In  the  opinion  of  my  friend,  Mr.  Brett,  it  is  im- 
possible for  us  to  do  anything  at  the  present  moment. 
We  must  inquire  ;  we  must  verify ;  we  must  con- 
sult others.  You  will  see  that  the  negotiations 
you  have  undertaken  require  on  our  part  some  dis- 
play of  the  extreme  delicacy  and  tact  in  which 
you  have  given  us  so  admirable  a  lesson.  Suppose, 
now,  we  agree  to  meet  here  again  to-morrow  at  the 
same  hour.  Am  I  to  understand  that  what  has 
transpired  this  morning  remains,  we  will  not  say  a 
secret,  but  a  myth,  a  mere  idle  phantasy  as  between 
you  and  me  ?  " 

"  That  is  precisely  my  idea,"  said  Brett.  "  One 
hates  to  mention  such  a  bru<  al  word  as  '  police  ' 
in  an  affair  demanding  finesse.  Personally  I  hate 
the  blunderers.  They  rob  life  of  its  charm.  They 
have  absolutely  no  conception  of  art.  Romance 
with  them  can  end  only  in  penal  servitude  or  on  the 
gallows.  Believe  me,  Hussein,  I  am  very  discreet." 


THE  HOUSE  IN  THE  RUE  BARBETTE  99 

In  another  minute  he  was  standing  in  the  street, 
and  inhaling  generous  draughts  of  the  keen  air  of 
Paris. 

"  I  wonder  how  much  my  life  was  worth  during 
the  first  five  minutes  ?  "  said  he  to  himself ;  and  then 
he  made  his  way  to  a  telegraph  office,  whence  he 
despatched  the  following  message — 

"  To  THE  EARL  OF  FAIRHOLME, 

"  STANHOPE  GATE,  LONDON. 
"  Have  received  definite  intelligence  which  con- 
firms my  views.     Expect  our  friend  will  be  dis- 
covered within  forty-eight  hours.     If  possible,  join 
me  at  Grand  Hotel,  Paris,  to-night,  eleven  o'clock. 

"  BRETT." 


CHAPTER  VIII 

WHAT  HAPPENED  IN  THE  RUE  BARBETTE 

PENDING  Fairholme's  arrival,  Brett  was  not 
idle.  He  visited  a  prominent  jeweller  in  the 
Rue  de  la  Paix,  and,  after  making  some  trivial 
purchases,  led  the  conversation  to  the  question 
of  diamonds.  By  skilful  inquiry  he  ascertained  a 
good  deal  about  precious  stones,  both  in  their  crude 
and  their  finished  states.  The  accommodating  French- 
man showed  him  a  good  many  samples  of  South 
African,  Brazilian,  and  Indian  stones,  and  explained 
to  him  the  various  tests  which  were  used  to  determine 
their  value. 

Brett  had  no  special  object  in  seeking  this  in- 
formation. When  engaged  in  elucidating  any  mys- 
tery he  made  it  an  invariable  rule  to  post  himself 
as  accurately  as  possible  concerning  all  minor  details 
which  might,  by  any  straining  of  circumstances, 
become  useful. 

He  returned  to  his  hotel  and  jotted  down  some 
notes  of  this  conversation.  Whilst  engaged  in  the 
task  a  telegram  arrived  from  the  Earl  of  Fairholme 
announcing  that  nobleman's  departure  from  London 
by  the  afternoon  train  service  via  Boulogne. 

Punctually  at  the  time  appointed  the  earl  reached 
the  hotel.  He  was  all  eagerness  to  learn  what  had 


IN   THE   RUE   BARBETTE  101 

happened  since  they  parted  in  London,  and  why 
Brett  had  so  suddenly  summoned  him  to  Paris. 

"  I  really  have  not  much  definite  information," 
said  the  barrister.  "  Thus  far  I  am  building  chiefly 
on  surmise,  but  I  have  undoubtedly  come  into  con- 
tact with  the  persons  who  organized  and  planned,  if 
they  did  not  actually  carry  out,  the  raid  on  the 
Albert  Gate  mansion." 

"  Then  you  have  news  of  Jack  ?  "  broke  in  Fair- 
holme  excitedly. 

"  Not  exactly.  All  I  can  do  at  present  is  to  assure 
you  that  the  scent  is  hot,  and  we  may  run  our  quarry 
to  earth  some  few  minutes  after  eleven  o'clock  to- 
morrow morning." 

"  I  am  jolly  glad  that  there  is  a  chance  of  my 
being  useful  in  this  matter,"  said  the  earl  gleefully. 
"  If  only  I  am  a  little  bit  instrumental  in  recovering 
her  brother,  Edith  hasn't  got  a  leg  to  stand  on  in  the 
matter  of  getting  married.  That's  awkwardly  put, 
isn't  it  ?  What  I  mean  is  that  when  Talbot  is  restored 
to  his  family  and  everything  is  satisfactorily  cleared 
up,  Edith  and  I  can  get  spliced  immediately,  can't 
we?" 

"  I  regard  it  as  the  most  assured  fact  we  have  yet 
encountered,"  said  Brett,  pleasantly. 

"  But  you  haven't  told  me  yet  the  exact  manner 
in  which  I  can  be  useful." 

"  No,"  said  the  barrister.  "  I  have  been  revolving 
in  my  mind  the  possibilities  of  to-morrow  morning, 
and  you  must  play  an  important  part  in  what, 
by  chance,  may  turn  out  to  be  a  melodrama.  Now, 
listen  to  me  carefully.  In  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
Porte  St.  Martin  there  is  a  street  known  as  the  Rue 
Barbette.  At  eleven  o'clock  to-morrow  I  go  to  the 
house  No.  ii  in  that  street,  and  you  will  accompany 
me  as  far  as  the  door.  It  will  be  your  duty  to  stand 


102        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

outside  and  take  note  of  all  persons  who  enter  or 
leave  the  house  once  I  have  disappeared  from  view 
in  the  interior.  You  must  exercise  your  powers  of 
observation  most  minutely,  paying  heed  to  the 
height,  build,  complexion,  and  clothing  of  any 
individual,  male  or  female,  who  enters  or  leaves  No. 
n,  Rue  Barbette,  after  you  have  taken  your  stand 
in  the  street.  It  is  more  than  probable  that  no 
person  will  demand  scrutiny,  unless  it  be  some 
chance  tradesman's  assistant  visiting  the  building 
in  pursuance  of  his  ordinary  work.  However,  do 
you  feel  capable  of  attending  to  this  part  of  the 
programme  ?  " 

"Perfectly." 

"  You  will  maintain  watch  until  11.30.  If  at 
that  hour  I  have  not  rejoined  you,  make  your  way 
to  the  nearest  policeman,  and  tell  him  that  you  have 
good  reason  to  believe  that  a  friend  of  yours  has 
either  been  murdered  or  suffered  serious  personal 
injury  in  a  room  on  the  second  storey  of  the  house 
in  question.  You  will  then,  in  company  with  the 
policeman,  come  rapidly  to  the  apartment  I  have 
indicated  and  demand  an  immediate  entrance — if 
necessary  bursting  the  door  open." 

"  And  what  then  ?  "  gasped  the  amazed  earl. 

"  I  really  don't  know,"  said  Brett  imperturbably. 
"  It  is  possible  you  may  find  my  gory  corpse  in  one 
of  the  inner  rooms.  The  best  I  can  hope  for  is 
that  I  shall  be  simply  a  prisoner,  but  I  fully  expect 
to  be  seriously  injured  at  the  very  least." 

"  But  look  here,  Brett :  are  you  doing  the  right 
thing  in  this  matter  ?  Why  on  earth  should  you 
run  such  an  awful  risk,  and  take  it  alone,  too  ? 
Isn't  it  possible  to  obtain  some  trustworthy  de- 
tective to  keep  watch  in  the  street,  and  let  me  go  into 
the  place  with  you  ?  Don't  you  see,  old  chap,  that 


IN    THE    RUE   BARBETTE  103 

two  of  us  might  make  a  reasonable  show  if  violence 
is  attempted  ?  One  man  hasn't  much  chance." 

The  barrister  cut  short  his  friend's  protesta- 
tions. 

"  I  sent  for  you,  Lord  Fairholme,"  he  said,  "  be- 
cause I  felt  that  I  could  trust  you  to  obey  my  in- 
structions implicitly.  This  is  a  matter  in  which  I 
do  not  want  the  police  to  interfere.  My  visit  to  the 
Rue  Barbette  to-morrow  morning  may  end  quite 
satisfactorily.  If  it  does,  we  shall  be  in  possession 
of  important  information  leading  to  the  prompt 
release  of  Mr.  Talbot.  If  it  fails,  there  will  certainly 
be  some  shooting  or  stabbing,  or  perhaps  an  attempt 
may  be  made  to  keep  me  a  prisoner.  This  latter 
eventuality  renders  the  presence  of  the  police 
essential.  No  matter  what  has  happened  to  me, 
they  will,  with  your  assistance,  be  able  to  take  up 
the  inquiry  exactly  where  I  leave  it  off.  In  this 
notebook  here,  which  I  am  placing  in  a  locked 
drawer  " — and  he  suited  his  action  to  the  words — 
"  you  will  find  details  of  all  that  I  have  done  up  to 
the  present  moment,  together  with  the  lines  along 
which  future  inquiries  should  proceed.  In  par- 
ticular, you  will  find  an  elaboration  of  the  theory 
which  I  expect  to-morrow's  visit  to  confirm.  You 
fully  understand  me  ?  All  this  anticipates  that 
after  11.30  to  morrow  I  shall  be  personally  unable 
to  conduct  the  investigation  further." 

"  Yes,"  agreed  the  earl,  with  rueful  emphasis, 
"  I  fully  understand  the  proposition,  and  I  tell  you, 
Brett,  I  don't  like  it.  There  has  been  enough  blood 
spilt  in  this  beastly  business  already,  and  I  feel  a 
sort  of  personal  responsibility  for  you,  you  know, 
because  I  brought  you  into  it." 

"  Then,"  said  the  barrister,  with  a  laugh,  "  I 
solemnly  acquit  you  of  any  such  responsibility. 


104        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

I  am  going  into  the  business  with  my  eyes  open  It 
interests  me  strangely,  and  I  would  not  abandon  the 
quest  now  on  any  account." 

"  But  can't  you  explain  matters  a  little  more 
clearly  ?  Is  it  necessary  that  I  should  be  kept  in 
the  dark  as  to  the  circumstances  which  have  led  up 
to  this  critical  movement  to-morrow  ?  " 

"  Not  in  the  least.  It  is,  indeed,  very  important 
that  you  should  comprehend  all  that  has  gone  before  ; 
I  only  started  at  the  end,  so  to  speak,  so  as  to  fix 
accurately  in  your  mind  your  part  of  the  business, 
which  now  stands  separate  and  distinctly  outlined 
in  your  memory.  What  I  am  going  to  tell  you  simply 
leads  up  to  the  expected  denouement." 

He  then  recited  to  the  wondering  earl  the  whole 
of  the  curious  events  which  had  happened  during 
the  preceding  twenty-four  hours. 

It  was  late  when  they  got  to  bed,  but  they  rested 
well,  and,  after  the  manner  of  their  race,  fortified 
themselves  with  a  good  breakfast  against  the  trials 
of  the  day,  whatever  these  might  prove  to  be.  A 
few  minutes  before  the  appointed  hour  they  quitted 
a  fiacre  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Rue  Barbette,  and  at 
eleven  o'clock  Brett  passed  the  concierge,  whilst 
Fairholme  took  up  his  stand  outside. 

The  barrister  was  received  with  smiling  com- 
placence by  Hussein-ul-Mulk.  On  this  occasion  he 
was  conducted  to  another  room  of  the  flat,  and  he 
promptly  noted  that  the  windows  looked  out  to  the 
rear  of  the  building,  whereas  during  his  previous 
visit  he  could  survey  the  street. 

"  This  promises  badly,"  said  Brett  to  himself, 
but  he  betrayed  not  the  slightest  unwillingness 
to  fall  in  with  the  arrangements  made  for  his  re- 
ception, and  lounged  back  in  a  comfortable  chair 
•o  easily  that  not  even  the  quick-witted  Turk 


IN    THE   RUE   BARBETTE  105 

suspected  that  the  barrister's  hip  pocket  contained 
a  very  serviceable  revolver. 

Hussein-ul-Mulk  commenced  the  conversation. 
"  I  have,"  he  said,  "  a  couple  of  friends  here  who  are 
interested  in  the  matter  you  were  good  enough  to 
mention  to  me  yesterday.  With  your  permission 
I  will  introduce  them,"  and  he  threw  open  another 
door  with  a  single  Turkish  word  which  Brett  imagined 
was  an  invitation  to  enter. 

Two  men  came  from  an  adjoining  room.  They 
were  Turks — swarthy,  evil-looking  customers,  but 
well-dressed,  and  evidently  persons  of  consequence 
in  their  own  country.  The  new-comers  eyed  the 
barrister  curiously,  and  with  no  very  friendly 
intent. 

A  brief  conversation  in  Turkish  resulted  in 
Hussein-ul-Mulk  addressing  Brett. 

"  I  must  apologize  for  the  fact  that  my  friends 
here  only  speak  their  native  tongue.  Before  we 
proceed  to  business  I  wish  to  ask  you  a  few  ques- 
tions." 

"  Certainly,"  said  Brett  ;    "  go  ahead." 

"  You  mentioned  to  me  yesterday  that  you  had 
no  desire  to  invoke  the  aid  of  the  police  in  prosecuting 
the  inquiry  which  interests  you." 

"  Quite  right,"  said  Brett. 

"  May  I  ask  if  you  have  adhered  to  that  in- 
tention ?  " 

"  Absolutely." 

"Well,  Mr.— Mr.  "—Hussein-ul-Mulk  consulted 
a  visiting  card — "  Mr.  Reginald  Brett,  I  think,  is 
your  name  ?  It  would  be  idle  on  my  part  to  compli- 
ment you  on  your  bravery,  but  it  would  be  still 
more  futile  to  attempt  to  conceal  from  you  the 
danger  of  the  position  in  which  you  now  stand." 

"  Sit,"  corrected  Brett,  still  smiling. 


io6        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  Well,"  said  the  Turk,  "  we  will  not  quibble  about 
words.  The  fact  remains,  Mr.  Brett,  that  you  have 
needlessly  thrust  yourself  into  an  enterprise  of  such 
a  desperate  character  that  all  interlopers  can  be  dealt 
with  only  in  one  way." 

'  You  kiU  them,"  said  Brett,  airily. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  Turk,  "  I  deeply  regret  to  inform 
you  that  you  have  guessed  the  object  of  my  remarks 
with  the  singular  skill  you  have  already  betrayed 
in  reaching  the  existing  position.  I  can  only  add 
that  I  am  surprised  the  same  skill  did  not  influence 
you  to  avoid  forcing  upon  us  the  only  alternative 
left." 

"  Am  I  to  be  killed  at  once  ?  "  said  Brett,  speak- 
ing with  a  slight  affectation  of  boredom. 

Even  the  self-possessed  Turk  could  not  conceal  his 
amazement  at  the  manner  in  which  his  strange 
visitor  conducted  himself. 

"  That  is  a  point  we  have  not  yet  decided,"  he  said 
"  We  are  strangely  unwilling  to  take  the  life  of  such 
a  brave  man  as  yourself.  If  we  were  assured  of  your 
silence,  we  would  even  be  disposed  to  permit  you 
to  escape  this  time,  with  a  solemn  warning  not  to 
cross  our  path  again.  But  we  feel  that  clemency  is 
out  of  the  question.  There  is  one  hope — a  slight  one, 
it  is  true — which  may  permit  us  to  gag  you  and  tie 
you  securely  in  this  room,  where  you  will  be  left  in 
peace  for  at  least  forty-eight  hours,  after  which  time 
a  telegram  can  be  despatched  to  any  address  you 
choose  to  supply  us  with.  But  really,  owing  to 
unforeseen  circumstances,  this  chance  of  a  reprieve  is 
remote.  It  wholly  depends  upon  the  arrival,  or 
otherwise,  at  this  house,  of  a  gentleman  whom  we 
expect  at  11.15." 

Brett  leaned  forward  in  his  chair,  and  took  out 
his  watch.  The  other  misunderstood  his  move- 


IN    THE   RUE   BARBETTE  107 

ment,  and  each  of  the  three  men  promptly  produced 
a  revolver. 

Brett  laughed  quite  heartily.  "  Really,  gentle- 
men," he  cried,  "  your  nervousness  is  ludicrous." 

He  saw  that  he  yet  had  five  minutes'  grace  before 
his  self-constituted  judges  would  proceed  to  execute 
their  sentence.  As  for  the  Turks,  they  were  mani- 
festly ashamed  of  having  betrayed  such  trepidation, 
and  they  replaced  the  weapons  so  readily  staged. 

"  That  is  a  point  in  my  favour,"  thought  Brett. 
"  Next  time,  if  I  do  wish  to  reach  my  revolver,  I  may 
be  able  to  get  the  draw  on  them  first." 

"  During  the  interval,"  said  Hussein-ul-Mulk 
suavely,  "  is  there  anything  you  wish  to  do — any 
letters  to  write,  or  that  sort  of  thing  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  Brett,  "  I  do  not  think  so  ;  it  seems 
to  me  that  you  have  thoroughly  misunderstood 
the  purpose  of  this  meeting.  I  came  here  in  order 
to  obtain  from  you  particulars  which  will  lead  to  the 
release  of  Mr.  Talbot  and  redeem  his  character  in 
the  eyes  of  his  superiors.  I  did  not  come  here  to  be 
killed,  Hussein-ul-Mulk.  I  am  not  going  to  be 
killed.  If  you  touch  a  hair  of  my  head  you  will  only 
leave  this  house  for  a  prison,  and  subsequently  for 
the  gallows.  And  so,  you  see,  you  are  talking 
childishly  when  you  dangle  these  threats  and  pre- 
liminaries to  immediate  execution  before  my  eyes. 
It  is  not  you,  but  I,  who  will  dictate  the  terms  on 
which  we  part.  It  may  perhaps  interest  you  to 
sxplain  this  new  phase  of  the  situation  to  your 
fellow-countrymen,  and  the  matter  will  also  serve 
to  dissipate  the  few  minutes  which  yet  have  to 
elapse  before  n  15." 

Hussein-ul-Mulk  made  no  direct  reply  to  this 
remarkable  speech.  That  it  impressed  him  was 
quite  evident  from  his  manner.  Forthwith  an 


io8        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

animated  but  subdued  conversation  took  place 
between  the  triumvirate. 

While  it  was  yet  in  progress  a  peculiar  knock 
was  heard  on  the  outside  door  of  the  apartment. 

"  Ah !  he  comes,"  said  Hussein-ul-Mulk  in  French. 
He  left  the  room  in  order  to  meet  the  new  arrival. 
He  returned  without  delay,  bringing  with  him  a 
man  very  different  from  those  whom  Brett  had 
encountered  thus  far  in  connection  with  the  crime. 
This  was  a  dapper  little  Frenchman,  wizened, 
yellow-skinned,  black-haired,  and  dressed  almost 
in  the  extreme  of  fashion.  He  at  once  addressed 
himself  to  the  barrister. 

"  They  tell  me,  my  friend,"  he  said,  "  that  you 
have  thrust  your  finger  into  the  pie  which  the 
friends  of  his  Majesty  the  Sultan  are  preparing  for 
him.  It  is  a  bad  business.  You  are  too  soon  for 
the  banquet.  The  result  is  that  your  poor  little 
finger  may  get  burnt,  as  the  pie  is  still  being  cooked." 

The  man  smiled  maliciously  at  his  feeble  witti- 
cism, and  Brett  instantly  took  his  measure 
as  a  member  of  the  gang  of  flash  thieves  which 
infest  Paris.  He  knew  that  such  a  ruffian  was 
both  pitiless  and  cowardly.  Whatever  the  outcome 
of  the  situation  which  faced  him,  he  would  not  stoop 
to  conciliatory  methods  with  this  despicable  rascal. 

"  I  suppose,"  he  said,  "  that  the  only  part  of 
the  affair  which  concerns  you  is  the  robbery." 

"  Well,  and  what  if  it  is  ?  " 

"  I  can  only  say  that  your  political  friends  will 
be  well  advised  to  keep  a  close  eye  on  you,  for  you 
would  rob  them  just  as  soon  as  the  persons  against 
whom  they  have  employed  you." 

The  little  thief  laughed  cynically.  "  You  are 
right,  mon  vieux.  I  would  be  delighted  to  have 
the  chance.  But  this  time  it  is  impossible.  The 


IN    THE   RUE   BARBETTE  109 

stones  are  too  big.  They  are  worth — pouf ! — 
millions  of  francs,  so  I  must  be  content  to  receive 
my  pay,  which  is  good." 

"  Have  you  entrusted  the  Sultan's  diamonds  to 
the  care  of  a  scamp  like  this  ?  "  said  Brett,  addressing 
himself  to  Hussein,  and  inwardly  resolving  that 
unless  the  conversation  by  chance  took  a  turn 
favourable  to  himself,  he  would  forthwith  open 
fire  on  the  gang  and  endeavour  to  escape. 

"  Yes,"  cried  the  conspirator  with  a  savage  laugh. 
"  You  have  never  seen  them,  Mr.  Brett  ?  Here 
they  are.  To  many  men  the  sight  would  be  a 
pleasant  one.  To  you  it  should  be  terrible,  for  the 
arrival  of  these  diamonds  at  this  moment  means 
that  you  must  die." 

So  saying,  he  produced  from  an  inner  pocket  of 
his  frock-coat  a  large,  plain  morocco  case.  The 
pressure  of  a  spring  caused  the  lid  to  fly  back,  re- 
vealing to  the  eyes  of  those  in  the  room  a  collection 
of  diamonds  marvellous  by  reason  of  the  size  and 
magnificence  of  each  stone. 

In  the  centre  reposed  the  Imperial  diamond 
itself.  For  an  instant  Brett  reflected  that  whilst 
the  other  men  were  fascinated  by  the  spectacle,  he 
would  have  a  good  opportunity  to  shoot  some  of  them 
without  mercy  and  make  a  dash  for  liberty. 

But  at  the  same  moment  there  came  to  him  an 
odd  thought.  His  friend  the  jeweller  of  the  Rue 
de  la  Paix  had  not  given  him  a  lesson  in  vain  during 
the  previous  afternoon. 

The  barrister  suspected — in  fact,  he  was  almost 
sure — that  the  gems  now  flaunting  their  half-revealed 
glories  in  the  light  of  the  day — for  not  one  of  them 
had  undergone  the  final  process  peculiar  to  the  dia- 
mond-cutter's trade — were  not  the  real  stones  stolen 
from  Albert  Gate,  but  well  fabricated  substitutes. 


no   THE  ALBERT  GATE  AFFAIR 

To  his  acute  brain  there  came  an  immediate 
confirmation  of  his  theory.  Evidently  the  diamonds 
had  not  been  previously  in  the  Turk's  possession. 
The  little  Frenchman  had  just  delivered  them, 
and  this  in  itself  was  a  strange  circumstance  in 
view  of  the  fact  that  the  genuine  stones  must  have 
been  in  Paris  at  least  three  days. 

Brett  concentrated  all  his  dramatic  faculties  in 
look,  voice,  and  gesture. 

"  You  fools !  "  he  cried.  "  You  have  been 
swindled  by  a  device  which  a  child  might  suspect. 
These  are  not  the  Sultan's  diamonds.  These  are 
frauds — cleverly  concocted  bits  of  crystal  and  alum 
— intended  to  keep  you  happy  until  you  return  to 
Constantinople  and  discover  how  thoroughly  you 
were  deceived." 

"  You  lie  !  "  roared  the  little  Frenchman.  "  They 
are  genuine." 

Brett  wanted  to  punch  the  diminutive  scoundrel 
heavily  in  the  face,  but  he  restrained  himself. 
Turning  with  a  magnificent  assumption  of  courteous- 
ness  to  Hussein-ul-Mulk,  he  said — 

"  Come,  I  told  you  you  were  acting  childishly  ; 
this  proves  it.  A  most  outrageous  attempt  has 
been  made  to  swindle  you,  if  I  may  use  such  a  term 
to  persons  who  confessedly  are  plotting  to  rob 
another.  Surely  this  will  convince  you  that  you 
have  nothing  to  fear  from  me.  I  am  here  as  the 
agent  neither  of  Sultan  nor  police.  It  is  a  simple 
matter  for  you  to  verify  my  statement.  All  that  is 
necessary  is  for  one  of  your  party  to  take  any  of 
these  alleged  diamonds — I  would  suggest  the 
smallest  one  so  as  not  to  create  suspicion — to  any 
jeweller  in  the  district,  and  he  will  test  it  for  you 
immediately,  thus  proving  the  truth  of  my 
statement.  Look  here  ;  I  will  convince  you  myself." 


IN    THE    RUE    BARBETTE  HI 

He  took  the  monster  diamond  irreverently  in  his 
hand  before  Hussein-ul-Mulk  could  prevent  him 
and  turned  to  the  window.  He  pressed  the  stone 
against  the  glass  and  tried  to  make  it  cut.  It 
failed.  He  placed  it  against  his  cheek.  It  was  warm. 
A  pure  diamond  would  be  icy  cold.  More  than 
this,  a  small  portion  of  the  composition  of  which 
the  imitation  had  been  hastily  concocted,  broke  off 
in  his  fingers. 

"  You  see,"  he  laughed.  "  Do  you  require 
further  proof  ?  " 

Even  while  he  spoke  the  diminutive  little  French- 
man turned  and  bolted.  One  of  the  Turks  drew 
a  revolver  and  rushed  after  him,  but  Hussein-ul-Mulk 
uttered  some  authoritative  words  which  prevented 
the  man  from  firing.  The  Frenchman  was  evidently 
an  adept  in  the  art  of  dodging  pursuit.  In 
the  passage  he  ducked  suddenly,  and  threw  the 
Turk  heavily  to  the  ground.  Then,  without  further 
interference,  he  slipped  the  latch  of  the  door  and 
slammed  it  hastily  behind  him,  leaving  Brett  silently 
laughing  at  Hussein-ul-Mulk  and  his  remaining 
confederate,  whilst  the  gentleman  who  had  been 
upset  was  slowly  regaining  his  disturbed  gravity. 

"  Can  it  be  possible  that  what  you  say  is  tnie  ?  " 
said  Hussein-ul-Mulk,  in  such  piteous  accents  that 
Brett  was  moved  to  further  mirth. 

"  Surely  you  do  not  doubt  the  evidence  ?  "  he 
said.  "  Take  any  of  these  stones ;  thej7  will 
crumble  to  pieces  on  the  hearth  if  struck  the 
slightest  blow.  See,  I  will  pulverise  one  with  my 
heel." 

And  he  did  so,  though  the  amazed  and  despairing 
men  whom  he  addressed  would  have  restrained 
him,  for  they  still  could  not  bring  themselves  to 
believe. 


112        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  Come,  now,"  he  went  on  "  arouse  yourselves  ; 
and  give  me  the  information  I  want.  That  is  the  only 
way  in  which  you  may  attain  your  ends.  Of  course 
I  cannot  help  you.  It  may  be  that  as  you  have 
bungled  matters  so  badly,  the  authorities  will  stop 
you  and  land  you  all  in  prison  ;  but  that  is  no  concern 
of  mine.  At  this  moment  I  simply  wish  to  release 
my  friend  and  proclaim  his  innocence.  For  the 
rest,  you  must  take  care  of  yourselves.  You  know 
best  who  it  is  that  has  so  thoroughly  outwitted 
you." 

Hussein-ul-Mulk  was  the  first  to  recover  his 
scattered  senses. 

"  We  cannot  choose  but  believe  you,  Mr.  Brett," 
he  said.  "  We  are  even  indebted  to  you  for  making 
this  disastrous  discovery  at  such  an  early  date. 
We  paid  our  agents  so  highly  that  we  thought  their 
honesty  was  assured.  We  find  we  are  mistaken, 
and  consequently  we  apologise  to  you  for  using  threats 
which  were  unnecessary.  We  rely  on  your  honour 
not  to  incriminate  us  with  the  police.  All  we  can 
tell  you  is  that  your  friend  is  not  dead,  but  we  do 
not  know  his  whereabouts." 

"  Nonsense,"  cried  Brett  angrily.  "  Why  do 
you  seek  to  mislead  me  in  this  fashion  ?  " 

"  Sir,"  said  the  Turk,  "  I  am  telling  you  the  truth. 
We  believe  that  Mr.  Talbot  is  a  prisoner  in  London, 
but  we  do  not  know  in  what  locality.  My  friends 
here  and  myself,  as  you  have  already  surmised,  are 
merely  members  of  a  political  organisation.  It 
was  necessary  for  us  to  secure  possession  of  the 
Imperial  diamond  and  its  companions.  We  spared 
no  expense,  nor  hesitated  at  any  means  that  would 
accomplish  our  purpose.  We  have  been  foiled  for 
the  moment.  I  can  tell  you  nothing  else,  and  I 
advise  you  to  leave  us  and  forget  that  such  persons 


The  door  was  thrown  bodily  from  its  hinges." 

—  Page  113. 


The  Albert  Gate  Mjsttr). 


IN  THE  RUE  BARBETTE  113 

exist,  for  I  swear  to  you  by  the  beard  of  the  Prophet 
that  had  events  turned  out  differently  you  would 
now  be  a  lifeless  corpse  in  this  room,  whilst  your 
body  would  not  be  discovered  for  many  weeks, 
as  we  intended  to  leave  Paris  this  afternoon  as 
soon  as  the  diamonds  came  into  our  possession." 

At  this  moment  a  thunderous  knocking  rever- 
berated through  the  house. 

The  Turks  gazed  at  each  other  in  affright.  None 
of  them  moved  to  open  the  door.  But  the  knock 
was  not  repeated,  for  the  door  itself  was  thrown 
bodily  from  its  hinges,  and  the  stalwart  form  of 
Lord  Fairholme,  accompanied  by  two  policemen, 
appeared  in  the  passage. 

"  Ah,"  cried  Brett,  intervening  with  ready  tact, 
"  I  had  forgotten  you,  Fairholme.  I  see  you  kept 
your  appointment.  These  are  not  required,"  he 
rattled  on  pleasantly,  turning  towards  the  stern- 
looking  sergents  de  mile ;  "  I  am  quite  alive  and 
uninjured.  My  friends  here  and  myself  had  a  few 
earnest  words,  but  we  have  settled  matters  satis- 
factorily." 

The  suspicious  policemen  glanced  from  the 
smiling  Englishman  to  the  perturbed  Turks.  At 
the  first  sound  of  danger  Hussein-ul-Mulk  had  closed 
the  case  in  which  lay  the  spurious  diamonds,  so 
these  pretentious-looking  gems  did  not  excite  the 
curiosity  of  the  men  of  law. 

The  senior  officer  demanded  from  Lord  Fairholme 
an  explanation  of  the  exciting  statements  which 
induced  them  to  accompany  him,  but  Brett  stepped 
into  the  breach. 

"  It  is  quite  true,"  he  said,  "  that  my  friend  was 
anxious  on  my  account.  It  was  even  possible 
these  Turkish  gentlemen  here  and  myself  might 
have  proceeded  to  extremities,  but  the  affair  has 


ri4        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

ended  satisfactorily,  and  if  you  will  allow  me " 

He  put  his  hand  into  his  pocket  and  a  slight  monetary 
transaction  terminated  the  incident  pleasantly 
for  all  parties. 

Soon  Brett  and  Fairholme  found  themselves  in 
the  street,  and  again  did  the  barrister  draw  in  deep 
and  invigorating  draughts  of  Paris  air. 

"  Where  now  ?  "  said  Fairholme. 

"  Tell  me,"  cried  Brett  eagerly,  "  did  you  notice 
in  which  direction  the  little  man  ran  who  left  No.  n 
about  ten  minutes  ago  ?  " 

"  Better  than  that,  I  heard  where  he  was  going  to. 
He  was  in  such  a  fiendish  funk  that  he  paid  heed  to 
nobody,  but  flung  himself  into  a  passing  cab  and 
yelled,  *  Take  me  to  the  Cabaret  Noir,  Boulevard 
Montmartre.' ' 

"  Good.  You  are  a  splendid  detective.  You 
have  saved  me  hours  of  search  and  perhaps  days 
of  failure.  Come ;  let  us,  too,  go  to  the  Cabaret 
Noir." 


CHAPTER   IX 

A  MONTMARTRE   ROMANCE 

THE  exterior  of  the  Cabaret  Noir  belied  its 
name. 

Originally,  no  doubt,  it  was  one  of  the  vilest  dens 
in  a  vile  locality,  but  the  fairy  hand  of  the  brewer 
had  touched  the  familiar  wineshop,  and  it  glistened 
to-day  in  much  mahogany,  more  brass,  and  a 
dazzling  collection  of  mirrors. 

Brett  was  surprised  when  the  driver  of  their  cab 
pulled  up  in  front  of  such  an  ornate  establishment. 
Somehow,  he  expected  the  Cabaret  Noir  to  be  a 
different  place.  Not  so  Fairholme,  accustomed 
only  to  the  glaring  exterior  of  London  tied  houses. 

"  Here  we  are,"  said  his  lordship  cheerfully. 
"  Let's  take  them  by  surprise  and  run  over  the 
whole  show  before  any  one  can  stop  us." 

"No,"  said  Brett ;  "  this  is  Paris,  and  the  police 
here  have  ways  even  more  mysterious  than  those 
of  Scotland  Yard.  We  will  gain  nothing  by  drastic 
measures.  Indeed,  had  I  known  the  sort  of  place 
we  were  coming  to  I  would  have  visited  it  to-night 
and  in  disguise.  As  it  is,  we  have  been  seen  already 
by  any  one  interested  in  our  movements,  and  it 
would  be  useless  to  adopt  any  pretence,  so  follow 
me. 


n6   THE  ALBERT  GATE  AFFAIR 

He  boldly  entered  through  the  main  door,  and 
found  himself  in  a  light,  airy  room,  filled,  in  three- 
fourths  of  its  area,  with  little  marble-topped  tables 
surrounded  by  diminutive  chairs,  whilst  a  bar 
counter  was  partitioned  off  in  a  corner. 

The  attendant  in  charge  was  a  dreary-eyed 
waiter,  who  seemed  to  think  that  the  presence  of 
a  couple  of  sight-seeing  Englishmen  at  such  an 
hour  was  another  testimony  to  the  lunatic  pro- 
pensities of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race.  He  welcomed 
them  volubly,  assuring  them  that  the  establish- 
ment kept  the  best  Scotch  whisky  in  stock,  and 
guaranteed  that  roast  beef  would  be  ready  in  ten 
minutes. 

"  This  is  the  Cabaret  Noir  ?  "  questioned  Brett. 

"  But  yes,  monsieur." 

"  There  is  no  other  of  the  same  name  in  Mont- 
martre  ?  " 

"  But  no,  monsieur." 

"  A  gentleman,  a  friend  of  mine,  came  here  a 
few  minutes  ago  in  a  fiacre.  He  was  small,  slight, 
so  high " — illustrating  the  stature  by  his  hand. 
"  He  was  dressed  in  dark  blue  clothes  with  shiny 
boots.  He  was " 

Brett's  eager  description  was  cut  short  by  the 
appearance  of  a  new  character.  Through  a  narrow 
door  leading  into  the  bar  came  a  handsome  dark- 
eyed  woman,  aged  perhaps  twenty-five,  well  dressed, 
shapely,  and  carrying  herself  with  the  easy  grace 
of  a  born  Parisienne. 

Her  hair  was  jet  black.  Her  large  dark  eyes 
were  recessed  beneath  arched  and  strongly  pen- 
cilled eyebrows.  Her  skin  had  that  peculiar  tint 
of  porcelain-white  so  often  seen  in  women  of  southern 
blood. 

Yet  there  was  nothing  delicate  in  this  lady's 


A    MONTMARTRE   ROMANCE       117 

appearance  or  manner.  A  rich  colour  suffused  her 
cheeks,  and  her  language  was  remarkably  free 
both  in  volume  and  style.  She  addressed  a  few 
observations  to  the  waiter  in  the  common  ver- 
nacular of  Montmartre,  the  only  translatable 
portion  being  the  question  why  he  was  standing 
about  the  floor  like  the  ears  of  a  donkey  when 
there  was  work  to  be  done. 

Her  manner  changed  somewhat  as  she  addressed 
herself  to  Brett  and  his  companion.  There  was 
sufficient  of  the  landlady  in  her  demeanour  when 
she  said,  "  And  what  would  messieurs  be  pleased 
to  command  ?  " 

Now,  if  there  was  one  type  of  femininity  more 
than  another  which  Brett  thoroughly  understood 
it  was  the  saucy,  quick-witted,  handsome  adven- 
turess. He  knew  that  the  woman  scrutinizing 
him  so  coolly  came  well  within  this  category. 

He  could  not  tell,  of  course,  in  what  way  she 
might  be  associated  with  the  gang  whose  proceed- 
ings contained  the  explanation  of  Talbot's  fate, 
but  he  instantly  resolved  to  adopt  a  determined 
position  with  the  lady  who  half-petulantly,  half- 
curiously,  was  awaiting  his  reply. 

He  came  nearer  to  her. 

"  I  am  glad,"  he  said,  "  that  I  have  met  you." 

The  woman  looked  him  boldly  in  the  eyes.  "  Was 
it  for  the  happiness  of  seeing  me  that  monsieur 
has  visited  the  house  ?  " 

"  That  might  well  serve  as  the  reason,  but  the 
pleasure  is  all  the  greater  since  it  was  unexpected." 

"  You  are  pleased  to  be  facetious,"  she  replied. 
*'  Will  you  not  tell  me  your  business  ?  I  have 
affairs  to  occupy  me." 

"Assuredly.  I  have  driven  here  as  quickly  as 
possible  from  No.  u,  Rue  Barbette." 


Ii8        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

This  attack,  so  direct  and  uncompromising,  did 
not  fail  to  have  its  effect.  A  ready  mask  of  sus- 
picion fell  across  the  woman's  impudent  pretty 
face. 

There  was  just  a  tinge  of  stage  laughter  in  her 
tone  when  she  cried  :  "  Really,  how  interesting  ! 
And  where  is  the  Rue  Barbette,  monsieur  ?  In 
what  way  am  I  concerned  with — No.  u,  did  you 
say?" 

Brett  well  knew  how  to  conduct  the  attack  upon 
this  lady.  His  voice  fell  to  a  determined  note, 
his  eyes  looked  gravely  into  hers  as  he  answered — 
"  It  is  useless  to  pretend  that  you  do  not  under- 
stand me.  You  are  losing  moments  worth  gold, 
perhaps  diamonds !  Within  a  few  minutes  the 
police  will  be  here,  and  then  it  will  be  too  late. 
Help  me  first,  and  I  will  let  the  police  take  care  of 
themselves.  Refuse  me  your  assistance,  and  I 
will  leave  you  and  your  friends  to  the  mercy  of  the 
district  commissaire" 

A  dangerous  light  leaped  into  the  woman's  eyes 
at  this  direct  challenge. 

"  Monsieur  is  pleased  to  speak  in  riddles,"  she 
said.  "  This  is  a  restaurant.  We  can  execute  your 
orders,  but  we  are  not  skilled  in  acting  charades. 
You  will  find  better  performers  in  the  booths  out 
there  "  ;  and  she  swept  her  hands  scornfully  towards 
the  boulevard,  with  its  medley  c^  tents,  stalls,  and 
merry-go-rounds. 

Brett  smiled.  "  You  are  a  stupid  woman,"  he 
said.  "  You  think  you  are  serving  your  friends 
by  adopting  this  tone.  In  effect  you  are  bringing 
them  to  the  guillotine.  Now  listen.  If  I  leave 
you  without  further  words  you  do  not  see  me  again. 
You  will  know  nothing  of  what  is  going  on  until 
the  police  have  lodged  you  in  a  cell.  Neither  you 


A    MONTMARTRE   ROMANCE        119 

nor  your  associates  can  escape.  I  promise  nothing, 
but  perhaps  if  you  tell  me  what  I  want  to  know 
there  may  be  a  chance  for  you.  Otherwise  there 
is  none.  Shall  I  go  ?  " 

And  he  turned  as  if  to  approach  the  door. 

For  an  instant  the  woman  hesitated,  and  Brett 
thought  that  he  had  scored. 

"  Wait,"  she  said,  lowering  her  voice,  though 
there  was  still  the  menace  of  subdued  passion  in 
her  accents.  "  Who  is  your  friend  ?  " 

"  A  gentleman  whose  identity  in  no  way  con- 
cerns you.  You  must  deal  with  me,  and  it  will 
be  better  if  you  ask  who  I  am." 

"  I  know,"  she  said,  laconically.  "  Come  this 
way,  both  of  you." 

She  raised  a  flap-door  located  at  one  side  of  the 
counter.  Brett  followed  her  into  a  passage  behind 
the  doorway  that  led  into  the  bar.  Fairholme 
succeeded  him. 

The  trio  passed  rapidly  through  a  door  at  the 
end  of  the  passage,  and  quickly  found  themselves 
in  a  long,  low  room,  usually  devoted  to  billiards. 
The  place  was  dark  and  smelled  evilly  of  stale 
tobacco.  Daylight  penetrated  but  feebly  through 
the  red  blinds  that  blocked  up  three  windows  on 
one  side.  The  woman  drew  two  of  these  blinds, 
and  thus  illuminated  the  interior.  The  windows 
opened  on  to  a  yard,  and  the  place  was  thoroughly 
shut  off  from  all  observation  from  the  street. 

"  Now,"  she  said,  "  I  will  show  you  something." 

She  walked  towards  the  fireplace  at  the  end  of 
the  room.  On  the  mantelpiece  was  a  square  of  iron 
sheeting,  painted  white  and  studded  with  curious- 
looking  spikes  in  circles,  triangles,  and  straight 
lines.  From  a  box  close  at  hand  she  took  half  a 
dozen  small  glass  bulbs,  red  and  blue.  She  placed 


120        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

them  in  a  line  on  some  of  the  spikes  at  intervals 
of  two  inches.  Then  she  retired  to  that  side  of 
the  room  where  they  had  entered.  The  distance 
was  perhaps  thirty  feet. 

Before  Brett  or  Fairholme  could  vaguely  guess 
her  intention  she  whipped  a  revolver  out  of  her 
pocket.  It  would  be  idle  to  deny  that  they  were 
startled,  but  the  woman  paid  not  the  least  atten- 
tion to  them. 

She  steadily  levelled  the  weapon  and  fired  twice, 
smashing  the  two  outer  balls  of  the  six.  Then  she 
transferred  the  pistol  to  her  left  hand  and  smashed 
another  pair.  Then  she  turned  her  back  to  the 
target,  adjusted  a  small  mirror  attached  to  the 
butt  of  the  revolver,  and  smashed  both  of  the  re- 
maining bulbs  by  firing  over  her  left  shoulder. 
Sweeping  round  with  a  triumphant  smile  towards 
the  barrister,  she  said,  "  I  can  do  that  in  fifty  other 
ways,  but  six  will  suffice." 

"  It  is  very  clever,  madame,"  he  said.  "  May  I 
ask  why  I  am  indebted  to  you  for  this  display  ?  " 

She  replaced  the  revolver  in  her  pocket.  "  It 
is  my  answer  to  your  question,  monsieur,"  she  said. 
"  That  is  the  way  I  and  my  friends  often  talk  to 
people  who  annoy  us ;  and  now  I  shall  wish  you 
good-day.  You  will  find  other  sights  in  Mont- 
martre  to  interest  you." 

Brett  laughed  easily,  and  bowed  low. 

"  Believe  me,"  he  said,  "  I  will  find  few  perfor- 
mers so  expert  and,  may  I  add,  so  discreet.  We  will 
meet  again,  and  perhaps  test  your  skill." 

Without  another  word  the  party  returned  to  the 
front  room  of  the  restaurant,  and  Brett  and  Fair- 
holme  passed  into  the  street  where  their  cab  was 
waiting. 

"  T  suppose  she  meant,"  said  Fairholme  "that  if 


A    MONTMARTRE   ROMANCE        121 

we  were  not  jolly  careful  she  would  put  a  bullet 
through  our  hearts  as  easily  as  through  those  glass 
bulbs." 

"  Such  was  her  intention,"  said  Brett,  dryly. 
"  But  women  never  have  true  dramatic  genius. 
That  was  a  piece  of  melodrama  which  might  suffice 
with  many  of  her  class.  It  amused  me,  but  it  was 
a  waste  of  time  on  her  part." 

"  Anyhow,  we  shall  not  get  much  out  of  her  in 
the  way  of  information." 

"  Oh,  yes,  we  will.  She  will  tell  us  everything. 
She  has  told  me  a  great  deal  already." 

"  What  ?  "  cried  his  lordship.  "  Did  that  shoot- 
ing affair  convey  anything  more  to  you  than  what 
I  have  said  ?  " 

"  Of  course.  What  need  was  there  for  such  a 
trick  ?  In  the  first  place  it  is  very  simple.  You 
or  I  could  do  it  after  ten  minutes'  practice  with  an 
expanding  charge  and  a  show  pistol.  Secondly,  she 
admitted  that  the  Cabaret  Noir  is  a  centre  of  opera- 
tions for  the  gang  in  whom  we  are  interested.  By 
the  way,  I  should  like  to  know  her  name." 

He  directed  the  driver  to  wait  for  them  at  a  street 
corner  some  little  distance  further  on.  Close  to 
where  they  stood  an  itinerant  vendor  was  selling 
some  mechanical  toys. 

Brett  bought  one.  The  price  was  twenty  sous. 
He  gave  the  man  a  two-franc  piece  and  refused  the 
change. 

"  Do  you  know,"  he  said,  "  who  is  the  proprietor 
of  the  Cabaret  Noir  ?  " 

"  Certainly,  monsieur,"  replied  the  gutter-mer- 
chant ;  "it  is  Gros  Jean.  His  name  is  Beau- 
caire." 

"Ah!  And  the  lady  who  lives  there,  a  dark 
pretty  woman  with  white  skin,  who  is  she  ?  " 


122        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  That  is  his  daughter,"  said  the  man.  "  She 
is  known  as  La  Belle  Chasseuse." 

"  Why  such  a  name  ?  " 

"  Because  she  is  clever  with  firearms.  She  used 
to  be  in  a  circus,  but  she  left  the  profession  a  year 
ago." 

"  And  does  she  live  here  constantly  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  say.  I  think  she  goes  away  a  great 
deal.  She  was  travelling  recently ;  she  came  back 
— let  me  see — last  Tuesday  night." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Brett.  The  two  re-entered 
their  cab,  and  Brett  told  the  driver  to  proceed  as 
rapidly  as  possible  to  the  Rue  St.  Honore". 

"  I  hope  to  goodness,"  he  said  to  Fairholme, 
"  that  Captain  Gaultier  has  not  left  Paris  already  ; 
these  Foreign  Office  messengers  are  liable  to  be 
despatched  to  the  other  end  of  the  earth  at  a 
moment's  notice." 

"  Why  do  you  wish  to  see  him  ?  "  said  Fairholme. 

"  Simply  to  obtain  definite  confirmation  of  my 
theory.  La  Belle  Chasseuse  was  the  woman  who 
accompanied  the  man  made  up  to  look  like  Jack 
Talbot  during  his  journey  from  London.  If  Gaul- 
tier  can  see  her  and  assure  me  that  I  am  right  I  will 
be  convinced  concerning  that  which  I  already  know 
to  be  true." 

"  By  Jove ! "  cried  Fairholme,  "  that  never 
occurred  to  me.  I  wonder  if  it  is  so  ?  " 

"  Mademoiselle  Beaucaire  is  quite  an  adept  in 
two  things  :  she  can  bret.k  tiny  glass  bulbs  and  she 
can  flirt.  She  chose  to  exhibit  the  first  of  these 
accomplishments  to  us,  and  convey  what  was  in- 
tended to  be  a  warning  ;  in  reality,  she  gave  us  some 
valuable  information." 

"  I  suppose,"  said  Fairholme,  "  that  this  crowd 
will  watch  us  pretty  closely,  won't  they  ?  " 


A    MONTMARTRE   ROMANCE        123 

Brett  leaned  back  in  the  cab  and  laughed  heartily, 

"  We  are  the  most  interesting  persons  in  Paris 
to  them  at  this  moment,"  he  said.  "  That  poor 
fellow  who  sold  us  the  toys  will  have  to  change  his 
position,  I  am  afraid.  One  of  them  is  following  us 
now.  Let's  see  who  it  is." 

At  the  next  street  corner  he  stopped  the  cab 
suddenly,  and  jumped  out,  followed  by  Fairholme. 
A  minute  later  another  vehicle  dashed  into  the 
street.  In  it  was  seated  a  lady,  closely  veiled  ;  but 
a  large  feather  hat  and  the  grotesque  pattern  of  a 
black  veil  could  not  wholly  conceal  the  pretty,  de- 
termined face  of  La  Belle  Chasseuse. 

Evidently  she  had  no  one  at  hand  to  undertake 
the  mission,  so  she  followed  Brett  in  person.  He 
signalled  to  her  and  to  her  driver.  Astonished, 
the  man  pulled  up.  Brett  instantly  advanced  and 
took  off  his  hat  with  that  pleasant  smile  of  his 
which  usually  went  straight  to  the  female  heart, 
but  which  now  thoroughly  lost  its  effect  on  the 
furious  young  woman  who  looked  at  him  from  the 
interior  of  the  voiture. 

"  Allow  me,"  he  said,  "  to  offer  my  friendly  ser- 
vices. It  is  a  close  day  and  mademoiselle  has,  I 
am  sure,  many  other  calls  on  her  time.  I  will  save 
you  at  least  an  hour,  and  myself  nearly  the  same 
period.  I  am  going  to  secure  the  presence  of  a 
witness  to  identify  you  as  the  lady  who  crossed  the 
Channel  last  Tuesday  in  company  with  a  gentleman. 
You  both  drove  to  the  Grand  Hotel,  and  your  com- 
panion signed  the  register  there  in  the  names  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Talbot ;  is  it  not  so  ?  " 

She  bent  forward  and  looked  at  him  viciously. 
Her  eyes  sparkled  with  annoyance  at  being  caught 
so  easily  in  her  self-imposed  piece  of  espionage. 

"  Monsieur  is  clever,"  she  snapped. 


124        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  Thank  you,"  he  replied,  still  smiling.  "  I  can 
occasionally  hit  the  mark  with  a  guess  as  well  as 
mademoiselle  can  with  her  pistol.  But,  believe  me, 
I  only  intend  at  this  moment  to  be  polite.  Of 
course,  the  presence  of  a  witness  to  identify  you  is 
unnecessary.  Mademoiselle  can  now  return  to  the 
Cabaret  Noir,  whilst  my  friend  and  I  will  proceed 
direct  to  the  Grand  Hotel.  It  saves  so  much 
trouble,  does  it  not  ?  " 

For  a  moment  the  woman  looked  as  though  she 
would  have  liked  to  produce  that  infallible  revolver 
and  shot  him  on  the  spot.  Then  she  angrily  com- 
manded her  driver  to  return. 

Fairholme  surveyed  the  scene  with  open-eyed 
amazement.  "  Well,"  he  said,  "  that  beats  every- 
thing. You  really  have  a  splendid  nerve.  The 
whole  business  reads  like  a  chapter  out  of  one  of 
Gaboriau's  novels." 

"  That  is  the  way  people  live  in  Paris,  my  dear 
fellow.  Life  is  an  artificial  matter  here.  But  all 
this  excitement  has  made  me  hungry.  Let  us  have 
dejeuner" 


CHAPTER  X, 

ON  GUARD 

ON  their  way  to  the  hotel,  Brett,  yielding  ap- 
parently to  a  momentary  impulse,  stopped 
the  cab  at  a  house  in  the  Rue  du  Chaussee  d'Antin. 
Without  any  explanation  to  Lord  Fairholme  he 
disappeared  into  the  interior,  and  did  not  rejoin 
his  companion  for  nearly  ten  minutes. 

"  It  is  perhaps  not  of  much  use,"  he  explained  on 
his  return,  "  but  I  do  not  like  to  leave  any  stone 
unturned.  The  man  I  have  just  called  on  is  a  well- 
known  private  detective,  and  I  can  trust  him  to 
look  after  my  business  without  taking  the  police 
into  his  confidence.  Two  of  his  smartest  agents 
will  maintain  a  close  watch  on  both  the  Cabaret 
Noir  and  No.  n,  Rue  Barbette,  during  the  after- 
noon." 

"  You  do  not  seem  to  expect  much  result  ?  " 
"  No  ;  we  are  tracking  some  of  the  most  expert 
and  daring  criminals  in  France.  It  is  hopeless  to 
expect  them  to  provide  us  with  clues  ;  they  simply 
won't  do  it.  No  one  but  a  genius  in  criminality 
would  have  risked  such  a  dramatic  move  as  the 
personation  of  Jack  Talbot,  or  dared  to  put  in  an 
open  appearance  at  the  Grand  Hotel.  So  my  agents 
here  can  only  hope,  at  the  best,  to  get  sight  of  any 


126        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

messenger  or  assistant  scoundrel  who  may  turn  up 
at  either  of  the  places  indicated." 

"  May  we  expect  to  be  busy  to-night  ?  " 

Brett  did  not  answer  at  once.  It  was  evident 
that  whilst  he  rattled  on  in  a  careless  strain  his 
active  brain  was  busily  employed  in  discounting 
the  future. 

"  I  hope  so,"  he  said  at  last.  "  Of  course  I  can- 
not tell.  Our  only  chance  is  that  we  may  be  able 
to  guess  the  course  of  the  hidden  trail.  If  to-night 
does  not  yield  us  some  information,  our  chances  of 
solving  the  mystery  will  be  remote,  in  which  case 
we  may  as  well  abandon  the  quest." 

This  faint-hearted  reply  naturally  surprised  Lord 
Fairholme  considerably.  To  his  mind,  a  consider- 
able measure  of  success  had  already  been  achieved, 
and  he  utterly  failed  to  understand  why  his  friend 
should  take  such  a  pessimistic  view  of  affairs  at  the 
very  moment  when  they  appeared  to  be  opening 
up  somewhat.  Brett  noted  the  Earl's  perplexity, 
and  smiled  with  genial  deprecation. 

"  Do  not  be  afraid,  Fairholme ;  I  will  liberate 
Mr.  Talbot  and  clear  his  name  so  effectually  that  all 
difficulties  will  disappear  from  the  path  of  your 
marriage." 

"  Then  what  is  it  that  makes  you  so  downcast  ?  " 
cried  Fairholme. 

"  I  hate  to  be  beaten  at  the  final  stage,  and  I 
have  a  premonition  that  were  I  in  England — had  I 
but  the  power  to  proceed  unchecked  and  unhindered 
by  officialdom — I  would  soon  lay  my  hands  on  the 
man  who  originated  the  Albert  Gate  mystery.  But 
we  are  in  France — in  a  country  of  queer  legal  forms 
and  unusual  methods.  At  home  I  can  always 
circumvent  Scotland  Yard  ;  here  I  am  in  the  midst 
of  strange  surroundings,  and  know  not  what  may 


ON   GVARD  127 

happen.  Therefore,  we  must  possess  our  souls  in 
patience  and  wait  developments.  The  agent  I 
have  just  employed  has  promised  me  to  report 
every  two  hours  at  the  hotel  until  eight  o'clock. 
Then  I  will  take  personal  charge  of  the  Cabaret 
Noir,  and " 

"  What  about  me  ?  "  cried  Fairholme. 

"  You,  my  dear  fellow,  will  remain  at  the  hotel 
and  await  orders." 

This  arrangement  did  not  seem  to  suit  the  active 
young  Englishman  who  had  been  so  suddenly 
plunged  into  the  excitement  of  a  criminal  chase 
in  Paris. 

"  Really,  Brett,"  he  said,  "  I  hate  to  grumble  at 
anything  you  propose,  because  you  are  always 
right ;  but  you  must  pardon  me  for  saying  that  I  do 
not  see  what  particular  value  my  presence  here 
has  been  to  you." 

"  What !  "  laughed  Brett ;  "  not  after  your 
dramatic  appearance  in  the  Rue  Barbette  this 
morning  ?  " 

"  Oh,  any  one  could  have  done  that.  All  I  had 
to  do  was  to  break  in  a  door  at  a  given  hour." 

"  Exactly,"  said  Brett  gravely.  "  I  wanted  a 
friend  whom  I  could  trust  to  implicitly  obey  my 
orders,  and  you  did  it.  I  am  sure  you  will  fall  in 
with  my  wishes  now." 

So  Fairholme  was  silenced  on  this  point,  but  he 
ventured  to  put  another  question. 

"  How  long  am  I  to  sit  chewing  cigars  in  our 
rooms,  then  ?  " 

"  All  night,  if  necessary.  If  I  do  not  appear  by 
seven  o'clock  to-morrow  morning  you  had  better 
go  to  the  Embassy  and  tell  one  of  the  secretaries 
everything  connected  with  our  visit  to  Paris.  He 
will  then  take  action  through  the  police  in  proper 


128        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

form,  and  after  that  you  must  simply  await  develop- 
ments." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say,"  said  Fairholme,  anxiously, 
"  that  you  are  contemplating  another  risky  bit  of 
business  to-night  ?  " 

"  Once  I  take  my  stand  outside  the  Cabaret  Noir 
about  8.30  I  cannot  tell  where  Fate  may  lead  me. 
If  I  am  lucky  I  will  certainly  return,  whatever  be 
the  personal  outcome.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  I 
learn  nothing,  you  may  certainly  expect  to  see  me 
about  two  in  the  morning." 

At  the  hotel  Brett  found  awaiting  him  a  letter 
delivered  by  the  midday  post.  It  was  from  his 
elderly  assistant  in  London,  whom  he  had  told  to 
make  a  close  scrutiny  of  all  inhabited  houses  within 
a  certain  radius  of  the  Carlton  Hotel.  The  man 
had  done  his  work  systematically,  and  in  only  three 
instances  was  he  called  on  to  report  doubtful  cases. 

Two  foreign  restaurants  inside  streets  contained  a 
number  of  residents  concerning  whom  it  was  difficult 
to  obtain  specific  information. 

One  of  these  establishments  he  believed  to  be  the 
resort  of  Continental  gamblers  driven  from  Soho  by 
the  too  marked  attentions  of  the  police.  The  other 
was  a  place  of  even  more  questionable  repute,  and 
in  both  instances  he  had  utterly  failed  to  obtain 
the  slightest  information  from  the  servants,  who 
apparently  "  stood  in  "  with  the  management. 

The  third  dwelling  which  courted  observation 
was  a  flat  situated  above  some  business  premises  im 
another  quiet  street.  So  far  as  he  could  learn,  it 
was  tenanted  by  an  elderly  lady  who  was  a  helpless 
invalid,  waited  on  by  a  somewhat  curious  couple. 

"  They  are  Italians,  I  think,"  wrote  the  ex- 
policeman,  "  and  very  uncommunicative  people. 
I  have  twice  called,  on  one  pretext  or  another,  but 


ON   GUARD  123 

when  the  door  is  opened  it  is  always  kept  on  the 
chain,  and  I  cannot  see  more  than  the  face  of  a 
man  or  woman  and  a  few  inches  of  wall  beyond. 
Still,  I  have  no  reason  to  doubt  that  the  view  taken 
by  the  milkman  and  baker  is  correct,  namely,  that 
the  owner  of  the  flat  is  confined  to  her  bed  and  is 
suffering  from  a  nervous  disease,  which  renders  it 
imperative  she  should  be  shut  off  from  all  noise. 
The  landlord  informs  me  that  these  people  have 
occupied  the  place  for  nearly  two  months.  Their 
rent  is  paid  in  advance,  and  they  have  not  given  the 
slightest  cause  for  complaint.  There  are,  of  course, 
in  this  district  a  large  number  of  private  hotels  and 
lodging-houses,  but  they  seem  to  be  run  on  regular 
lines,  and,  although  some  of  their  patrons  might 
well  demand  closer  observation,  I  have  come  across 
nothing  suggestive  of  any  suspicious  circumstance 
whatever  with  reference  to  them.  I  have  detained 
my  report  until  I  was  able  to  give  details  concerning 
the  other  houses  in  the  district,  and  I  will  now  fall 
back  on  the  second  part  of  your  instructions,  i.e., 
to  maintain  a  close  watch  on  the  three  establish- 
ments which  I  have  picked  out  as  being  more 
unusual  in  their  habits  than  the  others." 

This  was  all. 

Brett  read  the  concluding  portion  of  the  report 
to  Fair  holme. 

"  He  is  a  level-headed,  shrewd  observer,"  he  said 
— "  one  of  the  few  men  whom  I  can  trust  to  do 
exactly  what  I  want,  neither  more  nor  less.  I 
think  when  we  return  to  London  we  must  endeavour 
to  get  that  chain  taken  off  the  invalid  lady's  door, 
or,  at  any  rate,  obtain  some  specific  facts  concern- 
ing her  disease  from  her  medical  adviser." 

Fairholme  smiled.  "  I  am  glad  to  hear,"  he  cried, 
"  that  you  do  anticipate  our  return." 

i 


130        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  Oh,"  said  Brett  airily,  "  I  never  count  on 
failure." 

Soon  after  three  o'clock  a  report  arrived  from  the 
agent  in  the  Rue  du  Chaussee  d'Antin.  It  read — 

"  Nothing  unusual  has  occurred  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  Cabaret  Noir.  The  customers  frequenting 
the  place  are  all  of  the  ordinary  type  and  do  not  call 
for  special  comment. 

"  A  Turkish  gentleman  quitted  the  house  No.  n, 
Rue  Barbette,  at  1.15  p.m.,  but  returned  shortly 
before  two  o'clock.  Half  an  hour  later  a  man,  whom 
my  assistant  recognized  as  a  member  of  a  well- 
known  gang  of  flash  thieves,  entered  the  place. 
His  name  is  Charles  Petit,  but  he  is  generally  known 
to  his  associates  as  *  Le  Ver.'  He  is  small,  well 
dressed,  and  of  youthful  appearance,  but  really 
older  than  he  looks.  He  is  still  in  the  house  in- 
habited by  the  Turks." 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  '  Le  Ver '  ?  "  said 
Fairholme. 

"  It  means  '  The  Worm,'  "  answered  Brett. 

"  I  must  say  these  chaps  do  find  suitable  nick- 
names for  one  another.  I  wonder  if  he  is  the  fellow 
we  followed  to  Montmartre  this  morning  ?  " 

"  Possibly,  though  I  am  puzzled  to  understand 
why  he  should  trust  himself  in  that  hornets'  nest 
again.  Most  certainly  the  description  covers  him, 
but  we  shall  probably  hear  more  details  later.  I 
wonder  where  the  Turkish  gentleman  went  whom 
'  Le  Ver '  seems  to  have  followed.  He  could  not 
have  gone  to  the  Cabaret  Noir  in  the  time  ?  " 

Brett's  curiosity  was  answered  to  some  extent 
by  the  next  report,  delivered  about  five  o'clock. 
It  read  as  follows — 

**  Le  Ver  is  still  in  the  house  No.  n,  Rue  Barbette. 
My  agent  explains  that  he  did  not  follow  the  Turk, 


ON   GUARD  131 

who  left  and  returned  to  the  place  earlier,  because 
his  definite  instructions  were  not  to  leave  the  locality, 
but  to  report  on  all  persons  who  entered  or  left. 
Absolutely  nothing  has  transpired  in  this  neigh- 
bourhood since  my  first  report. 

"  Gros  Jean,  the  father  of  La  Belle  Chasseuse, 
arrived  at  the  Cabaret  Noir  soon  after  four  o'clock. 
My  agent  ascertained  from  the  cabman  who  drove 
him  that  Gros  Jean  had  hired  the  vehicle  outside 
the  Gare  de  Lyon.  Otherwise  nothing  stirring.*' 

At  seven  o'clock  came  developments. 

"  Three  Turkish  gentlemen  have  quitted  No.  11, 
Rue  Barbette,  but  the  Frenchman  is  still  there.  As 
it  might  be  necessary  to  follow  another  person 
leaving  this  house,  I  stationed  another  watcher 
with  my  assistant,  and  this  second  man  followed  the 
Turks  to  a  restaurant  in  the  Grand  Boulevard.  So 
far  as  he  could  judge,  they  seemed  to  be  excited 
and  apprehensive.  They  drank  some  wine  and 
conversed  together  in  low  tones.  At  6.15  they 
quitted  the  cafe  and  rapidly  jumped  into  an  empty 
fiacre,  being  driven  off  in  the  direction  of  the  Opera. 
So  unexpectedly  did  they  leave  their  seats  that 
before  my  agent  could  hire  another  cab  they  had 
disappeared  in  the  traffic,  and  although  he  drove 
after  them  as  rapidly  as  possible,  he  failed  to  again 
catch  sight  of  them.  I  have  reprimanded  him  for 
his  negligence,  although  he  did  right  in  coming  at 
once  to  me  to  report  his  failure.  In  accordance 
with  your  instructions,  I  have  ordered  the  watchers 
at  the  Cafe  Noir  and  in  the  Rue  Barbette  to  be  in 
this  office  at  8.15  p.m." 

"Now  I  wonder,"  said  Brett,  "why  the  Turks 
left  the  Frenchman  alone  in  No.  n.  It  is  odd,  to 
say  the  least  of  it.  Since  the  dramatic  discovery  of 
the  spurious  diamonds  this  morning  they  must  be 


132        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

even  more  in  the  dark  that  I  am.  It  must  be 
looked  into,  but  I  cannot  attend  to  it  now.  At  this 
moment,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  the  centre  of  interest 
is  the  Cafe  Noir." 

The  two  men  occupied  a  sitting-room  on  the  first 
floor  of  the  hotel,  and  their  respective  bedrooms 
flanked  it  on  each  side.  Brett  explained  that  he 
could  not  tackle  the  table  d'hote  dinner,  so  he  made 
a  hasty  meal  in  their  sitting-room  and  then  excused 
himself  whilst  he  retired  to  his  bedroom  to  change 
his  clothing. 

He  was  absent  some  twenty  minutes,  and  Fair- 
holme  amused  himself  by  glancing  over  the  copies 
of  the  day's  London  newspapers  which  had  recently 
arrived.  Suddenly  the  door  of  Brett's  bedroom 
opened,  and  a  decrepit  elderly  man  appeared,  a 
shabby-genteel  individual,  disfigured  by  drink  and 
crumpled  up  by  rheumatism. 

"  Who  the  devil "  began  Fairholme. 

But  he  was  amazed  to  hear  Brett's  familiar  voice 
asking — 

"Do  you  think  the  disguise  sufficiently  com- 
plete ?  " 

"  Complete  !  "  shouted  Fairholme,  "  why,  your 
own  mother  would  not  know  you,  and  your  father 
would  probably  punch  me  for  suggesting  that  it 
could  be  you." 

"  That  is  all  right,"  said  the  barrister  cheerfully. 
"  I  will  now  proceed  to  get  quietly  drunk  at  the 
Cafe"  Noir.  Good-bye  until  seven  o'clock  to-morrow 
morning — perhaps  earlier,  and  perhaps — well,  no 
— until  seven  o'clock  !  " 

They  shook  hands  and  parted,  and  not  even  Brett, 
the  cleverest  amateur  detective  of  his  day,  could 
have  remotely  guessed  where  and  how  they  would 
meet  next. 


ON   GUARD  133 

Montmartre  by  day  and  Montmartre  by  night 
are  two  very  different  places.  This  Parisian  play- 
ground, perched  high  on  the  eminence  that  over- 
looks the  Ville  Lumiere,  does  not  wake  to  its  real 
life  until  its  repose  is  disturbed  by  the  lamplighter. 
Then  the  Moulin  Rouge,  festooned  with  lamps  of 
gorgeous  red,  flares  forth  upon  an  expectant  world. 
The  Cafe  de  1'Enfers  opens  its  demoniac  mouth  to 
swallow  ten  minutes'  audiences  and  vomit  them 
forth  again,  amused  or  bored,  as  the  case  may  be, 
by  the  delusions  provided  in  the  interior,  whilst 
other  questionable  resorts  shout  forth  their  attrac- 
tions and  seek  to  beguile  a  certain  number  of  sous 
from  the  pockets  of  sightseers. 

The  whole  district  is  a  place  of  light  and  shade. 
It  is  artificial  in  every  brick  and  stone,  in  the  pose 
of  every  stall,  the  lettering  of  every  advertisement. 
And  it  flourishes  by  gaslight ;  by  day  it  is  garish 
and  forlorn. 

Prominent  among  the  regular  houses  of  enter- 
tainment was  the  Cabaret  Noir,  which,  between 
the  hours  of  9  p.m.  and  I  a.m.,  usually  drove  a 
roaring  trade.  Situated  in  the  heart  of  a  mounte- 
bank district,  its  patrons  embraced  all  classes  of 
society,  from  the  American  tourist  with  his  quick 
eyes  noting  the  vagaries  of  demi-mondaines,  to  the 
sharp-witted  Parisian  idler,  on  the  alert  for  any 
easy  and  dishonest  method  of  obtaining  money 
which  might  present  itself. 

Among  such  a  crowd  a  wine-sodden  and  decrepit 
old  man  was  not  likely  to  attract  particular  atten- 
tion. 

He  sprawled  over  the  table  close  to  one  of  the 
windows  which  commanded  a  view  of  the  side 
passage  leading  to  the  rear  of  the  building.  Al- 
though none  of  the  noisy  crowd  in  the  eaf£  could 


134       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

suspect  the  fact,  the  half-closed  eyes  of  this  elderly 
drunkard  noted  the  form  and  features  of  every 
individual  who  entered  or  left  by  the  main  door, 
whilst  at  the  same  time  he  paid  the  utmost  possible 
attention  to  the  comings  and  goings  of  any  person 
who  used  the  passage  by  the  window. 

To  facilitate  his  observations  in  this  direction 
he  querulously  complained  to  the  waiter  that  the 
atmosphere  was  stuffy,  and  prevailed  on  the  man 
to  raise  the  window  a  few  inches,  thus  admitting  a 
breath  of  clear  cold  air. 

Brett  had  previously  ascertained  from  his  agent 
that  Gros  Jean  and  his  daughter  were  still  in  the 
private  part  of  the  building.  No  other  visitor 
had  put  in  an  appearance,  and  so  the  time  passed, 
until  the  clock  in  the  cafe  marked  eleven,  without 
any  incident  occurring  which  could  be  construed 
as  having  even  a  remote  bearing  upon  his  quest. 

Brett  began  to  feel  that  his  diligence  that  night 
would  not  be  rewarded. 

At  five  minutes  past  eleven,  however,  a  pink-and- 
white  Frenchman,  neatly  attired,  unobtrusive  both 
in  manner  and  deportment,  entered  the  cafe"  and 
seated  himself  quietly  near  the  door.  He  ordered 
some  coffee  and  cognac,  and  lighted  a  cigarette. 

The  barrister,  of  course,  took  heed  of  him  as  of 
all  others,  and  he  would  soon  have  placed  him  in 
the  general  category  that  merited  no  special  atten- 
tion had  he  not  noticed  that  the  newcomer  more 
than  once  glanced  at  the  clock  and  then  towards 
the  corner  bar,  whence,  it  will  be  remembered,  a 
small  door  led  towards  the  billiard  saloon  in  which 
La  Belle  Chasseuse  had  displayed  her  prowess  with 
the  pistol. 

In  such  a  community  the  stranger's  self-possession 
reticence  were  distinguishable  characteristics. 


.4 


ON    GUARD  135 

So  Brett  watched  him,  largely  for  want  of  better 
occupation. 

"  That  is  a  man  of  unusual  power,"  was  his  sum- 
ming up.  "  He  is  elegant,  fascinating,  unscrupu- 
lous. Although  apparently  out  of  his  natural 
element  in  this  neighbourhood,  he  has  some  purpose 
in  putting  in  an  appearance  in  such  a  place  as  this 
at  a  late  hour.  Perhaps  he  is  one  of  mademoiselle's 
lovers,  though  he  looks  the  sort  of  person  who  would 
be  singularly  cool  in  conducting  affairs  of  the  heart, 
and  most  unlikely  to  wait  many  minutes  beyond 
the  time  fixed  for  an  appointment.  His  hands  are 
large  and  sinewy,  his  wrists  square,  and,  although 
slight  in  physique,  I  should  credit  him  with  possess- 
ing considerable  strength.  Being  a  Frenchman, 
he  should  be  an  expert  with  the  foils.  The  effe- 
minate aspect  given  to  his  face  by  his  remarkable 
complexion  might  easily  deceive  one  as  to  his  real 
character.  As  a  matter  of  .act,  he  is  the  only 
anusual  man  I  have  seen  during  my  two  hours' 
younge  in  this  corner." 

Brett  had  hardly  concluded  this  casual  analysis 
of  the  person  who  had  enlisted  his  close  observation, 
when  the  private  door  into  the  bar  opened  and 
Mdlle.  Beaucaire  entered. 

Without  taking  the  least  notice  of  any  of  the 
numerous  occupants  of  the  cafe  she  turned  her  back 
on  them,  and  apparently  busied  herself  in  checking 
the  contents  of  the  cash  register.  Beyond  this 
useful  instrument  was  a  mirror,  and  Brett  at  once 
perceived  that  from  the  point  where  she  stood  she 
could  command  a  distinct  reflection  of  the  pink-and- 
white  Frenchman. 

The  latter  was  gazing  at  the  clock,  and  whilst 
doing  so  stroked  his  chin  three  times  with  his  right 
hand.  Immediately  afterwards  La  Belle  Chas- 


136        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

seuse  three  times  rang  the  bell  of  the  register,  and 
then,  having  apparently  concluded  her  inspection, 
quitted  the  bar  as  unceremoniously  as  she  had 
entered.  Half  a  minute  later  the  Frenchman 
finished  the  remains  of  his  cognac,  lit  another  cigar- 
ette, and  passed  into  the  street. 

It  was  with  difficulty  that  Brett  restrained 
himself  from  following  him,  but  he  was  certain 
that  no  one  could  leave  the  residential  portion  of 
the  building  without  using  the  passage — a  view 
of  which  he  commanded  from  his  window — and  he 
resolutely  resolved  to  devote  himself  for  that  night 
to  shadowing  the  movements  of  the  ex-circus  lady. 

His  patience  and  self-denial  were  soon  rewarded. 
A  light  quick  step  sounded  in  the  passage,  and  a 
shrouded  female  form  shot  past  the  open  window. 

Then  the  inebriated  individual,  now  hopelessly 
muddled  by  drink,  staggered  towards  the  door  and 
lurched  wildly  round  the  corner,  just  in  time  to  see 
mademoiselle  cross  the  Boulevard  and  daintily  make 
her  way  between  the  rows  of  stalls. 

The  air  seemed,  however,  to  have  a  surprising 
effect  on  the  old  reprobate,  for  the  simple  reason 
that  to  simulate  drunkenness  and  at  the  same  time 
keep  pace  with  the  lady's  rapid  strides  was  out  of 
the  question. 

La  Belle  Chasseuse  was  evidently  in  a  hurry.  She 
sped  along  at  a  surprising  pace,  until  she  reached  a 
crossing  where  the  rows  of  stalls  and  booths  were 
temporarily  suspended.  At  one  corner  stood  a 
cab,  and  towards  this  vehicle  she  directed  her  steps. 
Before  Brett  quite  realized  what  was  happening,  the 
door  of  the  cab  opened,  mademoiselle  jumped  inside, 
and,  as  if  he  were  waiting  for  her  appearance,  the 
driver  whipped  up  his  horse  and  drove  off  at  a 
furious  pace. 


ON   GUARD  137 

At  that  instant  a  small  victoria  with  a  sturdy 
pony  in  the  shafts,  which  had  just  deposited  a  lively 
fare  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Moulin  Rouge,  drove 
along  the  street. 

Brett  sprang  into  it  and  said  eagerly  to  the 
driver — 

"  Keep  that  cab  in  sight !  I  will  pay  you  double 
fare  !  " 

The  man  tightened  his  reins  and  raised  his  whip 
in  prompt  obedience  to  the  order,  when  suddenly 
two  men  jumped  into  the  vehicle  from  opposite 
sides,  seized  Brett  and  forced  him  down  on  to  the 
seat,  whilst  one  of  them  said  in  stern  tones  to  the 
astonished  cabby — 

"  Take  us  at  once  to  the  Central  Prefecture  of 
Police." 

The  man  recognized  that  these  newcomers  were 
not  to  be  trifled  with.  Without  a  word  or  a  ques- 
tion, he  rattled  his  horse  across  the  stone  pavement, 
and  Brett,  choking  with  rage  at  this  interference  at 
a  supreme  moment,  realized  that  for  some  extra- 
ordinary reason  he  was  a  prisoner,  and  in  the  hands 
of  a  couple  of  detectives. 

By  this  time  the  cab  containing  the  lady  had 
vanished,  but  the  barrister  made  one  despairing 
effort. 

"  For  heaven's  sake,"  he  said  to  his  captors, 
"  take  me  where  you  will,  but  first  follow  that  cab 
and  ascertain  its  destination." 

"  What  cab  ?  "  demanded  one  of  his  guards 
sarcastically. 

"  The  cab  which  I  wished  our  driver  to  overtake 
at  the  moment  when  you  pounced  on  me." 

"  This  is  a  mere  trick,"  broke  in  the  other.  "  Don't 
bother  about  his  cab.  We  have  got  him  safe 
enough,  and  let  the  commissaire  deal  with  him  now." 


138        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  Listen  to  me,"  cried  Brett.  "  You  are  making 
a  frightful  mistake.  Your  action  at  this  moment 
may  cause  irretrievable  delay  and  loss.  If  you  will 
only  do  as  I  tell  you " 

"  Shut  up,"  growled  the  first  man,  "  or  it  will  be 
worse  for  you.  Your  best  plan,  my  good  fellow, 
is  to  keep  a  quiet  tongue  in  your  head." 

It  was  not  often  that  Brett  lost  his  temper,  but 
most  certainly  he  lost  it  on  this  occasion.  He  was 
endowed  with  no  small  share  of  physical  strength, 
and  for  an  instant  the  wild  notion  came  into  his 
head  that  he  might  perhaps  succeed  in  throwing 
the  two  detectives  into  the  roadway  and  then 
overpower  the  driver,  taking  charge  of  the  vehicle 
himself  and  trusting  to  luck  to  again  catch  sight 
of  the  vanished  lady  and  her  companion,  who,  he 
doubted  not,  had  awaited  her  arrival  at  the  quiet 
corner  where  she  joined  him. 

Unconsciously  he  must  have  given  some  pre- 
monition of  this  desperate  scheme,  for  the  two 
policemen  tightened  their  grasp,  forced  his  hands 
higher  up  his  back,  and  bent  his  head  forward  until 
he  was  in  danger  of  having  either  his  neck  or  his 
shoulder  dislocated. 

"  Will  you  keep  quiet  ?  "  murmured  the  chief 
detective.  "  You  cannot  escape,  and  you  are  only 
making  the  affair  more  disastrous  to  yourself." 

Then  Brett  realized  that  further  resistance  was 
hopeless.  He  managed  to  gurgle  out  that  if  they 
would  allow  him  to  assume  a  more  comfortable 
attitude  he  would  not  trouble  them  any  further. 

Gingerly  and  cautiously  the  two  men  somewhat 
relaxed  the  strain,  and  he  was  able  to  breathe  freely 
once  more. 

Then  he  laughed,  almost  hysterically,  but  he  could 
not  help  saying  in  English — 


ON   GUARD  139 

"  The  shadow  of  Scotland  Yard  falls  on  me  even 
here.  Poor  old  Winter,  how  I  will  roast  him  over 
this  adventure  !  " 

"  What  are  you  talking  about  ?  "  demanded  one 
of  the  men. 

"  I  was  only  thinking  aloud,"  replied  Brett. 

"  And  what  were  your  thoughts  ?  " 

"  Simply  this,  that  the  sooner  I  meet  your  re- 
markably astute  commissary  the  better  I  shall  be 
pleased." 


CHAPTER  XI 

A   DISCONCERTED   COMMISSARY 

r  I  ^HE  journey  across  Paris  proceeded  without 
JL  further  incident,  until  they  reached  the 
prefecture. 

The  two  detectives  hurried  their  prisoner  into  a 
large  general  office,  where  he  was  surveyed  with 
some  curiosity  by  the  subordinates  lounging  near 
a  huge  fire,  whilst  one  of  their  number  reported  his 
arrival.  After  a  brief  interval  he  was  taken  into  an 
inner  office.  Behind  a  green  baize-covered  table 
was  seated  a  sharp-looking  man,  whose  face  was 
chiefly  composed  of  eyebrows,  pince-nez,  a  hooked 
nose,  and  a  furious  imperiale. 

This  individual  turned  the  shade  of  the  lamp  so 
that  the  light  fell  in  its  full  radiance  on  the  face  and 
figure  of  the  prisoner.  He  produced  a  huge  volume, 
and  thumbed  over  its  leaves  until  he  reached  the 
first  vacant  place,  ruled  and  numbered  for  the 
description  of  all  persons  brought  before  him. 

"  Your  name  ?  "  he  said  sharply. 

"  Reginald  Brett,"  was  the  reply. 

The  Frenchman  required  this  to  be  spelt  for  him. 

"  Age  ?  " 

"  Thirty-seven." 


A    DISCONCERTED    COMMISSARY    141 

*'  Nationality  ?  " 

"  English." 

"  Profession  ?  " 

"  Barrister-at-law." 

The  official  consulted  a  type-written  document, 
which  he  selected  from  a  mass  of  papers  fastened  by 
an  indiarubber  band.  Then  he  looked  curiously 
at  the  prisoner. 

"  Are  you  sure  this  is  the  man  ?  "  he  said  to  the 
senior  detective. 

"  Quite  positive,  monsieur." 

"  Then  take  off  his  wig  and  get  a  towel,  so  that  he 
may  remove  some  of  his  make-up.  The  rascal 
should  be  an  actor.  I  never  saw  a  better  disguise 
in  my  life." 

Brett  knew  it  was  hopeless  to  attempt  explana- 
tions at  this  stage.  He  readily  fell  in  with  their 
directions,  and  in  a  few  seconds  he  stood  revealed 
in  something  akin  to  his  ordinary  appearance. 

Now,  the  French  Commissary  of  Police  was  no  fool. 
He  was  an  adept  at  reading  character,  but  he  was 
certainly  puzzled  after  a  sharp  scrutiny  of  Brett's 
clear-cut,  intelligent  features.  Nevertheless,  he 
knew  that  the  criminal  instinct  is  often  allied  with 
the  most  deceptive  external  appearances.  So  he 
turned  to  the  detective,  and  said — 

"  Tell  me,  briefly,  what  happened  ?  " 

"  In  accordance  with  instructions,  monsieur," 
the  man  replied,  "  Philippe  and  I  ascertained  the 
movements  of  the  prisoner  at  the  Grand  Hotel. 
During  the  afternoon  he  received  messages  from 
London  and  from  some  persons  in  Paris,  which 
documents  are  now  probably  in  his  possession. 
He  quitted  the  hotel  at  eight  o'clock,  disguised  as 
you  have  seen.  He  called  for  a  moment  at  a  house 
in  the  Rue  du  Chaussee  d'Antin,  the  number  of 


142        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

which  we  noted,  and  then  made  his  way  to  the  Cafe 
Noir  in  Montmartre.  There  we  watched  him  from 
the  door  for  nearly  three  hours.  He  feigned  drunk- 
enness, but  held  communication  with  no  person." 

"  Ha  !  "  cried  the  commissary.  This  struck  him 
as  an  important  point.  He  made  a  memorandum 
of  it. 

"  Soon  after  eleven  o'clock  he  rose  hastily  and 
quitted  the  caf6,  crossed  the  Boulevard,  and  hailed 
a  cab.  We  would  have  followed  him,  but  there  was 
no  other  vehicle  in  sight.  As  our  instructions 
were  to  arrest  him  at  any  moment  he  seemed  likely 
to  elude  us,  we  seized  him.  He  struggled  violently, 
and  told  us  some  story  about  his  desire  to  follow 
another  cab,  which  he  said  had  disappeared.  We 
saw  no  cab  such  as  he  described,  and  we  treated 
his  words  as  a  mere  device  to  abstract  attention. 
We  were  right.  A  moment  later  he  made  an 
attempt  to  escape,  and  we  were  compelled  to  use 
considerable  force  to  prevent  him  from  being  success- 
ful." 

The  commissary  turned  his  eyes  to  the  prisoner 
and  was  seemingly  about  to  question  him,  when 
Brett  said  with  a  smile — 

"  Perhaps,  monsieur,  you  will  allow  me  to  say 
a  word  or  two." 

"  Certainly."  The  official  knew  that  criminals 
generally  implicated  themselves  when  they  com- 
menced explaining  matters. 

"  You  are  acting,  I  presume,"  said  the  barrister, 
"  in  obedience  to  reports  received  from  the  London 
police  with  reference  to  the  murder  of  four  Turkish 
subjects  at  Albert  Gate,  and  the  theft  of  some 
valuable  diamonds  belonging  to  the  Sultan  ?  " 

This  calm  summary  of  the  facts  seemed  to  dis- 
concert the  Frenchman.  7t  astonished  him  consider- 


A    DISCONCERTED    COMMISSARY    143 

ably  to  find  his  prisoner  thus  indicating  so 
clearly  the  nature  of  the  charge  to  be  brought 
against  him. 

"  That  may  be  so,"  he  admitted. 

"  It  is  so,"  went  on  Brett ;  "  and  in  this  matter 
you  are  even  more  hopelessly  idiotic  than  I  took 
you  to  be.  I  have  told  you  my  name  and  profession. 
I  am  a  friend  of  Mr.  Talbot,  the  English  gentleman 
who  has  been  spirited  away  in  connection  with  this 
crime,  and  I  have  in  my  pocket  at  this  moment  a 
letter  from  the  British  Under-Secretary  of  State 
for  Foreign  Affairs,  authorising  me  to  use  my  best 
efforts  towards  elucidating  the  mystery  and  track- 
ing the  real  criminals.  Here  is  the  letter,"  he  con- 
tinued, producing  a  document  and  laying  it  before 
the  amazed  official. 

"  I  was  on  the  point  of  making  an  important 
discovery  with  reference  to  this  case  when  these 
too  zealous  agents  of  yours  seized  me  and  absolutely 
refused,  even  whilst  I  was  a  prisoner  in  their  hands, 
to  follow  up  the  definite  clue  I  had  obtained.  It  is 
an  easy  matter  to  verify  my  statements.  The 
authenticity  of  this  letter  will  be  proved  at  the 
British  Embassy,  whilst  a  telegram  to  Scotland 
Yard  will  place  beyond  doubt  not  only  my  identity, 
but  my  bona  fides  in  acting  for  Mr.  Talbot's  rela- 
tives and  the  Foreign  Office.  Further,  an  inquiry 
made  at  the  Grand  Hotel  will  produce  unquestion- 
able testimony  from  the  manager,  who  knows  me, 
and  from  my  friend,  Lord  Fairholme,  who  occupies 
rooms  there  at  this  moment." 

"  Lord  Fairholme !"  stuttered  the  official.  "  Why, 
that  is  the  name  given  by  the  other  prisoner." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  you  have  arrested  the  Earl 
of  Fairholme  ?  "  gasped  Brett,  struggling  with  an 
irresistible  desire  to  laugh. 


144        THE   ALBERT    GATE   AFFAIR 

The  Frenchman  covered  his  confusion  by  growling 
an  unintelligible  order,  and  bent  over  the  letter 
which  Brett  had  given  to  him.  In  half  a  minute 
one  of  the  detectives  returned,  and  with  him  was 
Fairholme,  on  whose  honest  face  indignation  and 
astonishment  struggled  for  mastery. 

"  Oh,  surely  that  cannot  be  you,  Brett !  "  cried 
his  lordship,  the  moment  he  entered  the  room. 

"  Well,  of  all  the  fools  that  ever  lived,  these 

French  Johnnies  take  the  cake.  I  suppose  that  they 
have  spoiled  the  whole  business  !  If  the  brutes 
had  not  taken  me  by  surprise  I  would  have  knocked 
over  a  dozen  of  them  before  they  arrested  me." 

"  Silence  !  "  shrieked  the  commissary,  into  whose 
mind  was  intruding  the  consciousness  that  he  had 
committed  an  outrageous  blunder. 

"  What  did  you  say  your  name  was  ?  "  he  de- 
manded fiercely. 

"  I  told  you  my  name  an  hour  ago,"  said  his 
lordship  haughtily,  "  and  if  you  had  not  been  so 
beastly  clever  you  would  have  believed  me.  I  am 
the  Earl  of  Fairholme,  a  fact  that  can  be  readily 
substantiated  by  dozens  of  people  here  in  Paris, 
and  this  is  Mr.  Reginald  Brett,  a  friend  of  mine, 
who  would  have  probably  discovered  the  mystery 
of  my  friend's  disappearance  and  the  whereabouts  of 
those  diamonds  by  this  time  if  you  had  not  inter- 
fered." 

His  lordship  was  hardly  coherent  with  annoy- 
ance, but  the  acute  official  had  now  convinced 
himself  that  a  stupid  mistake  had  been  committed 
by  his  department. 

He  became  apologetic  and  suave.  He  explained 
that  their  mysterious  proceedings  had  to  some 
extent  committed  them  in  the  eyes  of  the  police 
to  secret  knowledge  of  the  crime  which  had  so 


A    DISCONCERTED    COMMISSARY    145 

thoroughly  aroused  the  detective  departments  in 
both  London  and  Paris. 

Evidently  Scotland  Yard  had  not  advised  the 
French  police  of  Mr.  Brett's  official  connection  with 
the  hunt  for  the  murderers.  The  agents  of  the 
Paris  Bureau  had  watched  Brett's  comings  and 
goings  during  the  day,  and  the  detectives'  suspi- 
cions, once  aroused,  were  intensified  when  his 
friend,  Lord  Fairholme,  sought  the  aid  of  two 
uniformed  policemen  to  break  in  the  door  of  the 
Turkish  residents  in  the  Rue  Barbette. 

Even  now,  politely  concluded  the  commissary,  he 
would  regretfully  be  compelled  to  detain  them  for  a 
little  while,  until  he  verified  their  statements. 
Meanwhile,  they  would  not  be  subject  to  any  further 
indignities,  and  might  procure  such  refreshments 
as  they  desired.  They  would  probably  be  set  at 
liberty  within  a  couple  of  hours. 

At  1.30  a.m.  Brett  and  Fairholme  were  ushered 
forth  from  the  doors  of  the  prefecture  and  stood  in 
freedom  in  the  street. 

"  Where  now  ?  "  said  Fairholme. 

"  To  the  hotel,"  replied  Brett,  wearily.  "  I  must 
have  sleep,  so  I  consign  the  Turks,  and  the  Sultan's 
diamonds,  and  every  one  concerned  with  the 
Albert  Gate  mystery,  to  perdition  for  the  next 
eight  hours." 

Notwithstanding  his  weariness,  Brett  rose  early 
next  morning.  His  companion  slept  like  a  top,  and 
the  barrister  had  to  shake  the  earl  soundly  by  the 
shoulder  before  the  latter  woke  into  conscious 
existence  and  sat  up  in  bed  sleepily  demanding — 

"  What's  up  ?    Where's  the  fire  ?  " 

"  I  want  you  to  dress  at  once,"  said  Brett 
cheerily,  "  and  join  me  at  breakfast.  You  must 
leave  for  London  by  the  11.50  train." 

K 


146       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  Am  I  such  a  nuisance  then  that  I  have  to  be 
packed  off  at  a  moment's  notice  ?  "  said  the  earl. 

"  By  no  means.  Decidedly  the  contrary,  in  fact. 
As  matters  in  France  evidently  require  persistent 
attention  on  my  part  for  many  days,  perhaps  weeks, 
I  think  it  is  hardly  fair  to  leave  Talbot  in  confine- 
ment any  longer.  Your  mission  is  to  restore  your 
prospective  brother-in-law  to  the  bosom  of  his 
family,  and  I  regret  that  it  is  impossible  for  me  to 
accompany  you." 

"  Are  you  serious,  old  chap  ?  "  was  the  startled 
answer.  "  What  has  happened  since  one  o'clock 
this  morning  to  make  you  so  confident  ?  " 

"  Nothing  that  is  not  already  known  to  you. 
Had  I  succeeded  last  night  in  following  Mdlle. 
Beaucaire  to  her  destination,  I  might  have  been 
able  to  accompany  you  to  London  this  morning. 
As  it  is,  Heaven  alone  knows  what  sort  of  dance  she 
may  lead  me.  However,  you  complete  your  toi- 
lette, my  dear  fellow.  I  have  ordered  breakfast 
to  be  served  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  Then  you  can 
eat  and  listen." 

During  the  first  portion  of  the  repast  Brett 
seemed  too  busily  engaged  to  unburden  his  mind. 
It  was  not  until  he  had  lit  a  cigarette  and  pushed 
his  chair  away  from  the  table,  so  that  he  could 
assume  a  posture  of  complete  ease,  that  he  com- 
menced— 

"  You  slept  so  soundly,  Fairholme,  that  you  have 
not  had  time  to  review  all  the  circumstances  of 
yesterday's  adventures.  Otherwise  I  am  sure 
you  would  have  reached  the  same  conclusions  as 
suggest  themselves  to  me.  Curiously  enough, 
although  dog-tired  when  I  went  to  bed,  I  woke  about 
seven  o'clock  feeling  thoroughly  rested  both  in 
mind  and  body.  I  procured  some  coffee,  took  a 


A    DISCONCERTED    COMMISSARY    147 

bath,  and  went  out  for  a  stroll,  with  the  result  that 
I  returned  and  aroused  you  after  reaching  finality  in 
some  of  my  conclusions,  and  deciding  on  a  definite 
plan  of  action  for  both  of  us." 

"  It  is  really  very  decent  of  you,  Brett,  to  con- 
stantly assume  that  I  can  see  as  far  through  a  brick 
wall  as  you  can,  especially  as  you  know  quite  well 
that,  although  I  am  fairly  well  acquainted  with  all 
that  happened  yesterday,  the  only  tangible  opinion 
I  can  offer  is  that  the  Paris  police  interfered  with  you 
at  a  most  inopportune  moment." 

Brett  smiled.  "  That  is  because  you  have  not 
accustomed  yourself  to  analysis,"  he  said.  "  How- 
ever, I  will  summarise  my  views,  and  if  you  can  find 
any  flaws  in  my  reasoning  I  will  be  glad.  The  first 
thing  to  observe  is  that  the  diminutive  Frenchman 
drew  on  himself  the  special  vengeance  of  the  Turks 
when  I  exposed  the  attempt  to  foist  on  them  a 
collection  of  dummy  diamonds.  Yet  he  actually 
had  the  nerve  to  return  to  the  Rue  Barbette  later  in 
the  day.  He  has  not  been  seen  since,  so  the  little 
scoundrel  is  either  dead  or  a  prisoner  in  Hussein- 
ul-Mulk's  flat.  As  I  cannot  permit  myself  to 
participate  in  a  murder  or  even  in  an  illegal  im- 
prisonment, I  am  regretfully  compelled  this  morning 
to  take  the  police  into  my  confidence  and  inform 
them  of  an  obvious  fact  which  escaped  their  pene- 
tration yesterday." 

Fairholme  whistled. 

"  I  must  say,"  he  cried,  "  I  gave  a  passing  thought 
to  the  incident  myself  last  evening  when  your  spy 
reported  that  the  Frenchman  remained  in  No.  II 
after  the  Turks  had  quitted  it." 

"  Yes,"  said  Brett.  "  You  see,  all  you  need  to 
cultivate  is  the  habit  of  deduction,  and  you  will  soon 
become  a  capital  detective." 


148        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

The  earl  laughed.  "  I  hope  you  will  tell  that  to 
Edith,"  he  said,  "  and  perhaps  you  may  change  her 
opinion  concerning  my  reasoning  capacities.  She 
thinks  I  am  an  awfully  stupid  chap  as  a  rule." 

"  That  is  because  she  is  in  love  with  you,"  said 
Brett. 

"  Well,  now,  that  remark  puzzles  me  more  than 
anything  else  you  have  said."  His  lordship  darted 
a  quick  look  at  the  barrister  in  the  endeavour  to 
learn  whether  or  not  he  was  in  a  chaffing  mood. 

"  Why  should  a  woman  seek  to  depreciate  any- 
thing she  values  ?  " 

"  Simply  because  it  denotes  a  secure  sense  of 
complete  ownership.  Miss  Talbot  would  never  hold 
such  a  view  of  your  intellectual  powers  if  you  were 
merely  a  friend." 

"  Well,"  said  the  earl  dubiously,  "  that  is  a  new 
point  of  view  for  me  at  any  rate." 

"  It  is  a  fact  nevertheless.  But  we  have  not  much 
time,  so  we  must  reserve  any  further  consideration 
of  feminine  inconsistency.  The  fate  of  the  French- 
man must  be  determined  to-day,  and  to  decide  the 
question  I  must  act  through  the  police,  so  a  con- 
versation with  our  friend  the  commissary  becomes 
inevitable.  And  now  to  return  to  the  hypothetical 
part  of  my  conclusions.  I  began  by  assuming  that 
the  individual  who  planned  the  Albert  Gate  outrage 
and  subsequently  sought  to  bamboozle  his  employers 
by  palming  off  on  them  a  set  of  spurious  diamonds, 
is  far  too  acute  to  attempt  to  dispose  of  the  real 
gems  for  many  months  yet  to  come.  He  obtained 
sufficient  funds  from  the  Turks,  in  pursuance  of  what 
may  be  termed  the  legitimate  part  of  his  contract, 
to  enable  him  to  live  for  a  considerable  period  with- 
out further  excitement.  Closely  associated  with 
him  in  the  present  adventure  is  La  Belle  Chasseuse. 


A    DISCONCERTED    COMMISSARY    149 

Neither  would  endeavour  to  procure  safety  by 
flight  to  a  foreign  country.  They  will  seek  in- 
significance by  living  in  a  normal  and  commonplace 
manner.  What  more  easy,  for  instance,  for  Made- 
moiselle than  to  return  to  the  life  of  the  circus,  whilst 
her  lover — granted  that  he  wished  to  remain  in  her 
company — will  obtain  some  suitable  employment 
in  the  same  circle.  There  is  a  suspicion  of  a  joke 
in  the  statement,  but  I  am  quite  serious.  The 
mere  consciousness  that  they  have  in  their  posses- 
sion a  vast  fortune,  which  time  alone  will  enable 
them  to  realize,  will  serve  as  an  inducement  to 
undergo  the  period  of  hard  work  which  means  safety. 
You  remember  that  the  lady's  father,  Gros  Jean, 
visited  the  Gare  de  Lyon  yesterday  ?  " 

Fairholme  nodded. 

"  I  think  you  will  find  that  he  was  depositing  there 
the  necessary  luggage  for  a  contemplated  trip  into 
the  interior,  so  that  Mademoiselle  might  slip  out 
late  at  night  quietly  and  unnoticed  and  join  her 
lover  at  some  preconcerted  rendezvous,  a  thing  which 
we  now  know  she  did.  I  cannot,  of  course,  be  cer- 
tain whether  the  Frenchman  who  signalled  to  her 
in  the  Cafe  Noir  was  himself  the  favoured  indi- 
vidual. It  is  possible.  By  the  way,  what  height  is 
Talbot  ?  " 

"  About  five  feet  nine." 

Brett  pondered  for  a  little  while. 

"  Yes,"  he  communed  aloud,  "  I  think  I  am 
right.  That  pink-and- white  Frenchman  is  the 
master  mind  in  this  conspiracy.  And  to  think  that 
the  unintelligent  muscles  of  a  couple  of  thick- 
headed French  policemen  should  have  crudely  in- 
terfered with  me  at  such  a  moment !  "  He  sighed 
deeply. 

"  Never  mind,"  he  went  on,  "  it  cannot  be  helped. 


150        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

I  must  keep  to  the  thread  of  my  story.  Made- 
moiselle Beaucaire  left  the  Cabaret  shortly  after 
eleven  o'clock.  We  cannot  be  certain  that  she  went 
to  the  Gare  de  Lyon,  but  the  cab  unquestionably 
set  off  in  that  direction.  It  is  a  long  drive  from 
Montmartre  to  the  Lyons  station.  We  will  give 
her,  say,  until  twelve  o'clock  to  reach  there.  Now, 
unless  she  was  journeying  to  some  suburban  district 
— a  contingency  which  upsets  the  whole  of  my 
theory — there  was  no  main  line  train  leaving  for 
the  south  until  1.5  a.m.,  and  that  is  a  slow  train, 
stopping  at  nearly  every  station  south  of  Melun. 
Let  us  suppose  that  they  guard  against  every  con- 
tingency. She  and  her  companion  wish  to  escape 
the  scrutiny  of  detectives.  It  will  at  once  occur  to 
you  that  they  run  far  more  risk  of  observation  if 
travelling  by  a  fast  express  than  if  they  elect  to 
journey  by  the  commonplace  trains  which  only 
serve  the  needs  of  country  districts." 

"  It  did  not  occur  to  me,"  said  Fairholme  can- 
didly. "  Still,  there  is  a  lot  in  the  idea  all  the 
same." 

"  Very  well.  To  sum  up,  I  imagine  that  the 
pair,  providing  the  two  travelled  together,  would 
break  their  journey  south  at  some  quiet  town  in 
the  interior  early  in  the  morning,  and  subsequently 
proceed  to  their  destination  by  easy  stages." 

"  I  am  still  fogged  as  to  what  you  mean  by  their 
destination  ?  "  said  Fairholme. 

"  I  mean  the  circus,  the  music-hall,  the  cafe 
chantant,  or  whatever  place  mademoiselle  and  her 
astute  adviser  may  select  as  a  safe  haven  wherein  to 
avoid  police  espionage  during  the  many  months 
which  must  ensue  before  they  dare  to  make  the 
slightest  effort  to  dispose  of  the  purloined  dia- 
monds." 


A    DISCONCERTED    COMMISSARY    151 

*'  And  how  do  you  propose  to  follow  them 
up?" 

"  I  cannot  tell  at  present.  My  movements  de- 
pend upon  the  results  of  the  inquiries  I  shall  make 
to-day  in  theatrical  circles,  and  particularly  at  the 
Gare  de  Lyon,  where  I  shall  not  meet  with  success 
in  any  event  until  the  night  staff  comes  on  duty. 

"  The  third  item,"  continued  Brett,  "  which  de- 
mands attention  in  Paris  is  the  whereabouts  of  the 
Turks.  They  must  be  found  and  observed.  My 
chief  difficulty  will  be  to  keep  that  delightful  com- 
missary from  imprisoning  them,  if,  as  I  imagine, 
we  find  the  little  thief  a  captive  in  the  Rue  Barbette. 
So  you  see  my  actions  are  speculative.  Yours,  on 
the  other  hand,  will  be  definite." 

"  Ah  !  "  said  Fairholme,  "  I  am  glad  to  hear  that. 
If  you  expect  me  to  analyse  and  deduce  and  find 
out  the  probable  movements  of  intelligent  rascals, 
I  am  sure  I  shall  make  a  mess  of  things." 

"  You  will  reach  London,"  said  Brett,  "  at  7.30 
p.m.  I  suppose  you  have  in  your  service  a  reliable 
servant,  endowed  with  a  fair  amount  of  physical 
strength  ?  " 

"  Rather,"  cried  the  earl.  "  My  butler  is  a 
splendid  chap.  He  has  been  fined  half  a  dozen 
times  for  his  exceeding  willingness  to  settle  disputes 
with  his  fists." 

"  Telegraph  to  him  to  meet  you  at  Charing  Cross 
Station.  I  can  depend  upon  my  man  Smith  to  use 
his  nerve  and  discretion.  Moreover,  he  knows 
Inspector  Winter,  of  Scotland  Yard,  and  should 
trouble  arise,  which  I  do  not  anticipate,  this  ac- 
quaintance may  be  useful  to  you.  The  third  person 
who  will  meet  you  will  be  the  ex-sergeant  of  police, 
whose  report  to  me  you  heard  yesterday.  He  will 
point  out  to  you  the  flat  tenanted  by  the  invalid 


152        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

lady.  You  speak  French  wellv  and  after  a  few 
questions  you  should  be  able  to  satisfy  yourself 
whether  or  not  the  person  who  opens  the  door  to 
you  when  you  visit  that  flat  is  acting  a  genuine  part. 
You  can  pretend  what  you  like,  but  if  admission  is 
denied  to  you  I  want  you  to  force  your  way  inside 
and  see  that  invalid  lady  at  all  costs.  In  the  event 
of  a  gross  mistake  having  been  committed  you  must 
apologize  most  abjectly  and  assuage  the  wounded 
feelings  of  the  servants  with  a  liberal  donation, 
whilst  the  ex-sergeant  of  police  will  advise  you  as 
to  any  other  place  which  may  demand  personal 
inspection.  I  do  not  conceal  from  you  the  difficul- 
ties of  your  task,  or  the  chance  that  you  may  get 
into  trouble  with  the  police.  But  the  fact  remains 
that  Talbot,  alive  or  dead,  is  concealed  somewhere 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Carlton  Hotel,  and  it 
is  high  time  that  this  portion  of  the  mystery 
attending  his  disappearance  should  be  made  clear. 
Do  you  follow  me  ?  " 

"  Precisely,"  said  Fairholme.  "  My  programme 
appears  to  be  very  simple.  I  am  to  kick  down  any 
door  that  is  pointed  out  by  the  ex-policeman,  pro- 
vided I  am  refused  admission  by  fair  means." 

Brett  laughed.  "  I  think,"  he  cried,  "  you  have 
put  my  instructions  in  very  direct  and  succinct 
form.  All  I  hope  is  that  the  invalid  lady  may  prove 
to  be  an  elderly  fraud.  It  only  remains  for  me  to 
give  you  my  blessing  and  say  good-bye." 

"  But  what  about  you  ?  "  said  the  earl  anxiously, 
"  Suppose  we  come  across  Talbot  to-night,  as  you 
anticipate,  where  shall  I  find  you  to-morrow  ?  " 

"  You  must  telegraph  to  me  here,"  was  the 
answer,  "  and  you  must  possess  your  soul  in  patience 
until  you  hear  from  me. 

"  No,  don't  protest,"  he  went  on,  as  Fairholme 


A    DISCONCERTED    COMMISSARY    153 

gave  indications  of  impatience.  "  You  need  not 
fear  that  you  will  be  left  out  of  the  denouement, 
whatever  it  be.  I  am  sure  to  need  your  help  before 
long,  and  I  will  cable  you  at  the  first  possible 
moment.  For  that  reason,  should  you  leave  your 
house  for  more  than  hour  or  so,  I  hope  you  will 
make  special  arrangements  for  telegrams  to  reach 
you  without  delay." 

"  You  may  rely  on  that,"  was  the  hearty  answer. 
"  But  look  here,  Brett.  It  is  10.45  a.m.  now.  If  I 
have  to  catch  that  11.50  train  from  the  Gare  du 
Nord  I  have  no  time  to  lose.  By  the  way,"  he 
added,  turning  at  the  door,  "  is  there  any  reason 
why  I  should  not  wire  to  Edith  to  expect  me  to- 
night ?  " 

"  Not  the  slightest,"  said  Brett,  smiling,  "  except 
perhaps  this,  that  instead  of  calling  on  Miss  Talbot 
this  evening  you  may  be  locked  up  on  the  charge  of 
housebreaking." 

"  Urn,"  said  the  earl,  thoughtfully,  "  I  had  not 
thought  of  that.  It  will  be  more  fun  to  take  her 
by  surprise.  So  here  goes  to  get  my  traps  packed." 

After  Lord  Fairholme's  departure,  Brett  took 
matters  easily.  He  did  not  put  in  an  appearance 
at  the  Prefecture  until  late  in  the  afternoon,  and,  as 
he  surmised,  the  commissary  whom  he  encountered 
the  previous  night  had  even  then  only  just  arrived 
at  his  office.  Without  any  difficulty,  the  barrister 
was  introduced  to  the  official,  who  evidently 
awaited  an  explanation  of  the  visit  with  great 
curiosity. 

Brett's  ill-humour  at  the  uncalled-for  interference 
of  the  police  was  now  quite  dispelled,  and  he  greeted 
the  commissary  with  the  genial  affability  which  so 
quickly  won  him  the  friendship  of  casual  acquain- 
tances. 


154        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  I  think,"  he  began,  "  that  youi  agents,  mon- 
sieur, were  watching  me  throughout  the  whole  of 
yesterday." 

"  That  is  so,"  nodded  the  other,  wondering  what 
pitfall  lay  behind  this  leading  question. 

"  Do  I  take  it  that  after  my  departure  from  No. 
n,  Rue  Barbette  about  midday  they  maintained 
no  further  guard  over  that  house  ?  " 

"  Assuredly.  It  was  monsieur's  personal  move- 
ments which  called  for  observation." 

"  Then  you  do  not  know  that  an  individual  whose 
identity  may  be  much  more  important  than  mine 
is  an  inmate  of  the  apartment  at  this  moment — 
probably  a  captive  against  his  will,  possibly  a 
corpse  ?  " 

The  Frenchman's  huge  moustache  bristled  with 
alarm  and  annoyance. 

"  It  is  a  strange  thing,  monsieur,"  he  cried,  "  that 
an  English  gentleman  should  come  to  Paris  and  know 
more  about  the  movements  and  haunts  of  criminals 
than  the  French  police." 

It  was  no  part  of  Brett's  design  to  rub  the  official 
the  wrong  way,  so  he  said  gently — 

"  Your  remark  is  quite  justifiable,  and  under 
ordinary  circumstances  any  such  pretence  on  my 
part  would  be  ridiculous.  But  you  must  remember, 
monsieur,  that  I  came  here  from  London  possessed 
of  special  information  which  was  not  known  even 
to  the  police  authorities  in  that  city.  I  am  work- 
ing solely  in  the  private  interest  of  persons  high  in 
English  Society,  and  it  would  not  serve  the  pur- 
poses of  any  of  the  Governments  concerned  were 
too  much  stress  publicly  laid  on  their  connexion 
with  this  mystery.  If  I  can  succeed  in  elucidating 
the  problem  it  will  be  a  comparatively  easy  matter 
for  the  police  to  bring  the  real  criminals  to  justice. 


A    DISCONCERTED   COMMISSARY    155 

As  a  step  towards  that  end  I  have  come  to  you  now 
to  place  you  in  possession  of  a  clue  which  may  reveal 
itself  in  the  Rue  Barbette.  All  I  ask  is,  in  the  first 
instance,  that  the  affair  may  be  conducted  with  the 
utmost  secrecy,  and,  secondly,  that  you  will  permit 
me  to  be  present  when  you  examine  the  person 
whom  I  expect  to  find  there.  I  may  be  able  to  help 
you  very  materially  in  your  questions,  provided 
the  man  is  alive  and  well." 

The  commissary  was  soothed.  The  barrister's 
judicial  reference  to  the  importance  and  confiden- 
tial nature  of  the  inquiry  raised  in  his  mind  a 
dazzling  vision  of  personal  distinction  and  prefer- 
ment. 

*'  The  matter  shall  be  conducted  with  the  utmost 
discretion,"  he  cried.  "  What  force  does  monsieur 
consider  to  be  requisite  in  order  to  examine  this 
house  thoroughly,  and  prevent  the  attempted  escape 
of  others  whom  we  may  find  there  in  addition  to 
the  man  described  ?  " 

Brett  with  difficulty  repressed  a  smile.  "  I  do 
not  think  that  a  large  force  of  police  will  be  neces- 
sary. If  you  yourself,  monsieur,  and  another 
officer  will  accompany  me  in  a  cab,  I  am  sure  we 
will  be  able  to  deal  with  all  possible  opposition. 
There  is  no  exit  from  the  flat  save  through  the 
main  door,  and  the  apartment  is  situated  on  the 
second  storey.  Escape  by  way  of  the  windows 
is  practically  impossible  if  we  act  with  prompti- 
tude." 

The  commissary  could  not  reach  the  Rue  Bar- 
bette too  rapidly.  He  bundled  a  subordinate  into 
a  fiacre,  and  the  three  were  drivin  off  pi  breakneck 
speed. 

They  stopped  the  vehicle  at  the  corner  of  the 
street  and  walked  quietly  to  the  house,  attracting 


156       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

no  attention,  as  neither  of  the  Frenchmen  wtre  in 
uniform. 

Inquiry  from  the  concierge  elicited  the  informa- 
tion that  none  of  the  occupants  of  the  flat  tenanted 
by  the  Turkish  gentlemen  had  put  in  an  appearance 
since  the  previous  afternoon.  So  the  trio  mounted 
the  staircase,  and  without  any  preliminary  summons 
the  junior  official  applied  his  shoulder  to  the  door. 

The  lock  yielded  quite  readily.  Indeed,  the 
damage  done  by  Lord  Fairholme  was  but  tem- 
porarily repaired,  and  no  special  precaution  had 
been  taken  to  fasten  the  place.  All  was  quiet 
within.  The  first  room  they  searched  was  empty. 
So  was  the  second  ;  but  in  a  bedroom,  the  door  of 
which  was  locked  and  required  forcible  treatment, 
an  extraordinary  sight  met  their  eyes. 

Stretched  on  the  bed,  gagged  and  securely  tied, 
was  the  figure  of  the  diminutive  Frenchman,  who, 
little  more  than  twenty-four  hours  earlier,  had  so 
coolly  suggested  that  Brett  should  be  murdered. 

Stout  leather  thongs  were  fastened  to  his  wrists 
and  ankles  and  then  tied  to  the  four  uprights  of 
the  bed.  His  arms  and  legs  were  consequently 
stretched  widely  apart,  and  the  only  sign  of  vitality 
about  the  man  was  the  terrible  expression  of  fear 
and  hate  in  his  eyes  as  he  looked  at  them. 

The  gag  stuffed  in  his  mouth  prevented  him 
from  uttering  the  slightest  coherent  sound,  whilst 
the  agony  of  his  frame  owing  to  the  position  in 
which  he  lay,  joined  to  the  exhaustion  induced  by 
terror  and  want  of  food,  rendered  him  a  pitiable 
object. 

They  removed  the  gag  and  cut  the  bonds.  The 
poor  wretch  remained  on  his  back  unable  to  move, 
though  he  flinched  somewhat  when  the  police,  as 
gently  as  possible,  loosened  the  leather  straps  from 


A    DISCONCERTED    COMMISSARY     157 

his  wrists  and  ankles,  for  his  useless  struggles  had 
caused  the  thongs  to  cut  deeply  into  his  skin. 

Brett  was  the  first  to  realize  the  unfortunate 
wretch's  chief  requirement.  He  procured  some 
water,  raised  the  man's  head,  and  allowed  him  to 
take  a  deep  and  invigorating  draught. 

"  Why,  it  is  '  The  Worm !  '  "  said  the  junior 
policeman.  "  I  know  him  well.  He  is  a  pick- 
pocket, an  expert  rascal  in  his  line,  but  hardly  up 
to  the  standard  of  great  events." 

At  the  sound  of  his  nickname  a  flicker  of  intelli- 
gence came  into  the  little  thief's  eyes,  but  he  was 
still  dazed,  and  did  not  recognize  his  rescuers. 

"  I  don't  care  what  you  do  with  me,"  he  mur- 
mured at  last,  in  a  weak  and  cracked  voice.  "  Kill 
me  quietly  if  you  want  to,  but  don't  tie  me  up  again. 
I  have  done  nothing  to  deserve  it.  I  really  haven't. 
I  have  been  acting  quite  square  in  this  business." 
And  then  he  broke  down  and  whimpered  further 
protestations  of  innocence. 

"He  is  weak  from  want  of  food,  and  dazed  with 
terror,"  said  Brett  quietly.  "  I  suggest  that  one  of 
you  should  get  him  some  meat  and  wine,  whilst 
the  others  remain  here  and  endeavour  to  reassure 
him.  In  half  an  hour  he  will  be  greatly  recovered. 
Meanwhile  we  might  examine  the  place." 

The  commissary  thought  Brett's  suggestion  a 
good  one.  His  assistant  summoned  the  concierge 
and  attended  to  the  wants  of  "  The  Worm,"  whilst 
Brett  and  the  commissary  conducted  a  careful 
scrutiny  of  the  premises. 

They  found  little,  however,  beyond  a  considerable 
accumulation  of  dirt ;  for  the  ways  of  Turks  are 
primitive  and  their  habits  unpleasant  in  European 
households.  It  was  evident  that  before  taking 
their  departure  the  occupants  of  the  flat  had  care- 


158       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

fully  removed  or  destroyed  all  documents  or  other 
articles  which  might  throw  light  on  their  proceed- 
ings. 

The  leather  thongs  which  bound  the  prisoner 
evoked  some  comment  from  the  barrister. 

"  These  are  somewhat  unusual  articles,"  he  said 
to  the  commissary.  "  You  will  notice  that  they 
are  cut  from  raw  cowhide  and  well  stretched.  In 
other  words,  they  are  the  familiar  '  bow-strings  * 
of  Constantinople,  and  warranted  not  to  yield  if 
twisted  round  the  neck.  I  think  they  will  answer 
for  other  purposes  than  tying  people  to  beds." 

"  We  must  find  these  Turks,"  said  the  commissary. 
"  They  are  desperate  characters." 

"  Find  them  by  all  means,"  said  Brett  earnestly, 
"  but  on  no  account  arrest  them." 

"  And  why,  monsieur  ?  "  cried  the  other,  with 
elevated  eyebrows. 

"  Because  if  you  do  you  will  paralyse  our  future 
actions.  When  all  is  said  and  done,  the  only 
charge  you  can  bring  against  them  is  a  trivial  one. 
It  is  evident  they  merely  tied  up  this  man,  either 
with  the  object  of  frightening  him  into  a  confession, 
or  to  leave  their  hands  free  whilst  they  dealt  with 
his  employers.  Perhaps  they  had  both  objects  in 
view.  In  either  event  the  appearance  of  the  police 
on  the  scene  would  close  their  mouths  more  tightly 
than  an  oyster.  As  it  is,  I  expect  they  will  return, 
and,  if  possible,  you  must  compel  the  concierge  to 
conceal  the  fact  that  you  have  visited  the  house. 
Let  him  put  all  the  blame  on  me.  They  know  that 
I  am  mixed  up  in  the  inquiry,  and  fear  me  far  less 
than  the  recognized  authorities.  Oblige  me  in  this 
respect  and  you  will  not  regret  it." 

The  policeman  was  wise  enough  to  fall  in  with  the 
suggestion. 


A    DISCONCERTED    COMMISSARY    159 

An  hour  later  "  The  Worm  "  was  taken  in  a  cab 
to  the  Prefecture,  as  his  condition  was  yet  so  hope- 
less that  little  real  benefit  could  ensue  from  a  search- 
ing cross-examination. 

So  Brett  parted  company  with  the  officials,  hav- 
ing made  an  appointment  with  the  commissary  for 
the  next  day  at  noon,  when  they  assumed  that  the 
prisoner  would  be  considerably  recovered  from  his 
weakness  and  fright. 

The  barrister  subsequently  made  a  round  of  the 
minor  cafes  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Cirque 
d'Hiver.  After  much  casual  questioning,  he 
elicited  the  information  that  a  well-known  circus,  of 
which  Mdlle.  Beaucaire  was  at  one  time  a  shining 
light,  was  performing  at  that  moment  at  Mar- 
seilles. He  ascertained  that  during  the  winter 
season  this  class  of  entertainment  perambulated 
the  South  of  France  and  Northern  Italy. 

The  actor  from  whom  he  gleaned  these  important 
facts  said  that  he  had  a  trustworthy  friend  in  Mar- 
seilles who  would  easily  be  able  to  ascertain  whether 
or  not  La  Belle  Chasseuse  intended  to  rejoin  her 
former  profession.  Brett  secured  his  hearty  co- 
operation by  a  liberal  donation  for  expenses. 

The  barrister  resolved  to  pay  another  visit  to  the 
Cabaret  Noir  late  that  evening,  but  he  waited  in  the 
hotel  until  nearly  ten  o'clock  in  anxious  expecta- 
tion of  a  telegram  from  Fairholme. 

At  last  the  message  arrived.  Its  contents  were 
laconic. 

"Right  first  time,"  it  ran.  "Invalid  lady's 
name  '  Jack.'  Somewhat  exhausted,  after  long  con- 
finement. Edith  delighted.  Jack  visits  Under- 
secretary to-night.  We  all  purpose  joining  you  in 
Paris  to-morrow.  Do  you  approve  ?  " 

Brett  promptly  wired,  "  Yes,"  and  then  set  out 


i6o        THE    ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

for  Montmartre,  dressing  himself  in  the  height  of 
fashion  so  far  as  his  wardrobe  would  permit,  and 
donning  a  fierce  moustache  and  wig,  which  com- 
pletely altered  his  appearance.  He  looked  like  a 
successful  impressario  or  popular  Italian  tenor. 


CHAPTER   XII 

THE   INNKEEPER 

THE  fair-ground  of  Montmartre  was  in  full 
swing  when  Brett  arrived  there.  The  Cabaret 
Noir  was  in  charge  of  his  former  acquaintance,  the 
weary-eyed  waiter,  and  other  assistants. 

The  barrister  wondered  whether  Mile.  Beaucaire 
had  taken  her  father  completely  into  her  confidence. 
To  make  certain  he  questioned  the  waiter. 

"  Is  Monsieur  Beaucaire  in  ?  "  he  said. 

"  But  yes,  monsieur.  You  will  find  him  in  the 
billiard-room." 

This  time  Brett  was  not  conducted  through  the 
private  passage  that  led  through  the  rear  of  the  bar. 
The  man  politely  indicated  another  entrance,  and 
brought  him  to  the  proprietor  with  the  introductory 
remark — 

"  A  gentleman  who  wishes  to  see  you." 

The  room  was  tenanted  by  a  nondescript  crowd, 
whose  attention  was  promptly  attracted  by  the 
appearance  of  a  stranger,  and  a  well-dressed  one  af 
that. 

The  games  in  progress  at  the  two  tables  wew 
momentarily  suspended,  whilst  Gros  Jean,  a  cor- 
pulent man  above  the  middle  height,  whose  legs 
seemed  to  be  too  frail  to  support  his  rotund  body, 

L 


162        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

advanced,  peering  curiously  beneath  his  bushy 
eyebrows  to  get  a  glimpse  of  the  newcomer,  for  the 
shaded  light  did  not  fall  on  Brett's  features,  and 
M.  Beaucaire  wondered  who  the  stranger  could  be. 
The  barrister  almost  started  when  he  recognized 
his  fellow-passenger,  the  man  who  travelled  to 
Paris  with  Gaultier  and  himself.  Gros  Jean  bowed 
politely  enough,  and  murmured  something  about 
being  at  Brett's  service. 

"  Oh,  it  is  nothing  of  great  importance,"  said 
Brett  airily,  as  he  was  not  anxious  to  attract  too 
much  observation  from  the  unwashed  humanity 
who  took  such  interest  in  him.  "  I  merely  wish  to 
know  when  it  will  be  convenient  for  me  to  have  some 
conversation  with  mademoiselle,  your  charming 
daughter  ?  " 

"  May  I  inquire  the  reason,  monsieur  ?  "  said  the 
other. 

"  Certainly.  I  have  heard  of  her  skill  as  an  artist, 
and  it  is  possible  I  may  be  able  to  arrange  a  London 
engagement  for  her." 

*'  Ah,"  said  the  landlord  deprecatingly,  "  what  a 
pity  !  Had  monsieur  called  here  yesterday  he  could 
have  seen  mademoiselle.  She  has  now  left  Paris 
for  some  weeks." 

"  Perhaps,"  said  Brett,  "  I  may  have  the  pleasure 
of  meeting  her  elsewhere.  I  myself  depart  to- 
morrow on  a  tour  in  the  South  of  France.  It  is 
possible  that  mademoiselle  may  be  employed  in 
some  of  the  southern  cities.  If  so  I  will  certainly 
make  it  my  business  to  call  on  her." 

Beaucaire  came  a  step  nearer.  Clearly  he  did  not 
recall  the  barrister's  face.  He  knew  well  that  his 
daughter's  attainments  were  not  such  as  to  command 
the  eager  search  of  London  theatrical  managers,  yet 
he  was  assured  that  the  individual  who  now  ad- 


THE   INNKEEPER  163 

dressed  him  was  not  an  ordinary  music-hall  agent, 
hunting  up  fees. 

He  lowered  his  voice,  after  an  angry  glance  at  the 
loungers  in  the  room,  which  caused  them  to  turn 
to  the  tables  with  redoubled  interest. 

"  I  regret,"  he  said,  "  that  mademoiselle  is  not 
professionally  engaged  at  this  moment.  Indeed, 
she  has  not  appeared  in  public  for  some  months, 
May  I  ask  how  monsieur  came  to  hear  of  her 
name  ?  " 

"  It  is  the  easiest  matter  in  the  world,"  said  Brett 
with  his  ready  smile,  producing  his  note-book  and 
rapidly  turning  over  the  leaves.  "  I  have  here  the 
names  and  addresses  of  a  large  number  of  artists 
whom  I  was  recommended  to  visit.  Mademoiselle's 
name  was  given  to  me  among  others  at  the  Cirque 
d'Hiver,  where  I  heard  most  encouraging  accounts 
of  her  skill.  You  see,  monsieur,"  he  went  on,  "  that 
in  England  the  public  are  not  acquainted  with  any 
other  language  than  their  own,  and  when  Conti- 
nental artists  are  engaged  we  prefer  those  whose 
performance  consists  chiefly  of  acrobatic  or  other 
feats  in  which  dialogue  is  unnecessary." 

The  barrister's  ready  explanation  was  sufficient. 
Nevertheless  Beaucaire  was  puzzled.  But  even  the 
most  vulgar  or  brutal  Frenchman  is  endowed  with  a 
certain  amount  of  politeness,  and  in  this  instance 
Gros  Jean  felt  that  his  visitor  should  be  treated  de- 
ferentially. 

"  I  am  most  sorry,"  he  cried,  "  to  be  unable  to 
assist  monsieur  any  further.  If,  however,  you  leave 
me  your  address  I  will  communicate  with  you  after 
I  have  heard  from  my  daughter.  I  have  no  doubt 
that  she  will  readily  come  to  terms." 

"  I  think  you  said  that  mademoiselle  was  in  the 
South  of  France  ?  "  observed  Brett  casually. 


164       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

Instantly  Beaucaire  became  suspicious  again. 

"  No,"  he  replied  shortly  ;  "  I  do  not  think  I 
said  so." 

"  Of  course  not,"  laughed  Brett.  "  How  foolish 
of  me  !  It  was  I  who  mentioned  the  South  of  France, 
was  it  not  ?  You  see  that  French  is  a  foreign  lan- 
guage to  me,  and  I  do  not  express  myself  very 
easily." 

Beaucaire  grinned  politely  again  :  "  Permit  me 
to  congratulate  monsieur  upon  both  his  pronuncia- 
tion and  facility.  Not  many  Englishmen  speak 
French  as  he  does." 

The  barrister  was  determined  not  to  allow  the 
conversation  to  end  too  rapidly.  He  wished  to  note 
more  carefully  the  details  of  this  interesting  house- 
hold. Pulling  out  his  cigar-case,  he  offered  it  to 
Gros  Jean  with  the  remark  :  "  Your  small  French 
tables  seem  curious  to  my  eyes  after  long  acquaint- 
ance with  English  billiards.  Are  any  of  these 
gentlemen  here  skilled  players  in  your  fashion  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,"  said  the  innkeeper.  "  Andre  there, 
for  instance,  can  make  big  breaks.  I  have  seen  him 
make  forty  consecutive  coups.  Will  you  not  take 
a  seat  for  a  little  while  and  observe  the  play  ?  " 

"  With  pleasure."  And  Brett  confirmed  the 
favourable  opinion  formed  of  him  by  ordering  re- 
freshments for  Beaucaire  and  himself  and  inviting 
the  redoubtable  Andr6  to  join  them. 

He  apparently  took  a  keen  interest  in  the  game, 
and  applauded  the  manner  in  which  the  Frenchman 
scored  a  series  of  difficult  cannons. 

Meanwhile  he  noted  that  between  the  private 
passage  from  the  bar  and  the  public  one  that  led 
from  the  cafe"  was  a  room  into  which  the  light  of  day 
coukLnot  possibly  penetrate.  He  was  certain  that 
mo  door  communicated  with  it  from  the  public  pas- 


THE   INNKEEPER  165 

sage,  and  he  could  not  remember  having  passed  one 
that  first  afternoon  when  La  Belle  Chasseuse  brought 
him  and  Fairholme  into  the  billiard-room  to  display 
her  prowess  as  a  marks  woman. 

It  was  certainly  a  curious  apartment,  and  for  some 
undefinable  reason  he  could  not  prevent  his  mind 
from  dwelling  upon  its  possible  uses. 

Probably  the  Cafe  Noir  had  no  cellars.  The  place 
might  serve  as  a  store  room.  This  natural  hypo- 
thesis was  upset  by  the  appearance  of  the  waiter,  who 
passed  through  the  billiard-room  and  opened  another 
door  at  the  further  end,  through  which  he  soon 
emerged,  carrying  a  fresh  supply  of  bottles. 

"  It  is  obvious,"  said  Brett  to  himself,  "  that  if 
there  is  no  door  communicating  with  the  private 
passage,  then  the  only  way  in  which  that  room  can 
be  reached  is  by  a  ladder  from  the  top.  Now  I  won- 
der why  that  should  be  necessary  ?  " 

He  remained  in  the  biUiard-room  some  twenty 
minutes.  When  Gros  Jean  was  called  on  some 
momentary  errand  to  the  front  of  the  house  he  took 
his  departure,  purposely  making  the  mistake  of 
quitting  the  room  by  the  wrong  exit.  At  the  same 
instant  he  struck  a  match  to  relight  his  cigar,  and 
while  the  expert  billiard  player,  Andre,  ran  after 
him  to  direct  him  as  to  the  right  way  he  rapidly  sur- 
veyed the  passage.  The  plaster  walls  were  smooth 
and  unbroken  on  their  inner  side,  affording  no  door- 
way exit. 

Apologising  to  Andre"  with  a  laugh,  he  then  saun- 
tered towards  the  front  cafe,  where  he  purchased 
another  drink  at  the  counter.  He  assured  himself 
that  he  had  not  been  mistaken.  The  only  private 
door  out  of  the  bar  led  into  the  passage,  so  that  the 
room  beyond  could  only  be  reached  by  a  staircase 
or  through  a  trap-door. 


166       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  I  have  learned  something,  at  any  rate,"  he  mur- 
mured as  he  passed  out  into  the  Boulevard,  "  and  I 
imagine  that  my  knowledge  is  not  shared  by  the 
Paris  police.  Mademoiselle  would  have  acted  more 
wisely  had  she  not  yielded  to  impulse,  and  reserved 
her  shooting  display  for  a  more  dramatic  occasion." 

Brett  kept  his  appointment  with  the  commissary 
next  morning.  That  worthy  official  set  himself  to 
the  congenial  task  of  examining  a  prisoner  with  the 
air  of  one  who  said  :  "  Now  you  will  see  what 
manner  of  man  I  am.  Here  I  am  on  my  native 
heath." 

He  consulted  bulky  volumes,  made  notes,  fussily 
called  up  various  subordinates,  both  in  person  and 
by  speaking-tube,  and  generally  conducted  himself 
with  a  business-like  air  that  much  amused  the  bar- 
rister, who,  however,  for  his  own  purposes  took  care 
to  appear  greatly  impressed. 

At  last  all  was  ready,  and  the  captive  of  the  Rue 
Barbette  was  introduced. 

This  precocious  personage  had  recovered  his  self- 
possession  and  natural  impudence  during  the  night. 
By  the  commissary's  instructions  he  had  been  well 
supplied  with  eatables,  and  the  restrictions  as  to 
persons  under  detention  were  relaxed,  to  permit  him 
to  enjoy  a  supply  of  his  much-loved  cigarettes. 
Consequently,  the  little  thief  was  restored  to  his  usual 
state  of  jaunty  cheekiness. 

The  first  part  of  the  interrogation,  which  promptly 
ensued,  was  not  strange  to  him. 

"  Your  name  ?  "  said  the  commissary. 

"  Charles  Petit." 

"  Age  ?  " 

"  Believed  to  be  twenty-seven,  but  as  no  record 
was  kept  of  my  birth  I  cannot  be  certain." 

"  Abode  ?  " 


THE   INNKEEPER  167 

"  Changeable.  Of  late  I  have  dwelt  in  the  Cabaret 
Noir,  Boulevard  de  Montmartre." 

"  You  are  generally  known  as  '  The  Worm  ?  '  " 

"  That  is  so." 

"  You  have  served  several  periods  of  imprison- 
ment, and  have  paid  over  400  francs  in  fines  ?  " 

"  I  have  not  kept  count,  but  I  suppose  it  is  all 
written  down  there."  And  he  jerked  his  thumb 
towards  the  conviction  book  on  the  commissary's 
desk. 

"  You  are  a  noted  thief,  and  you  obtained  your 
nickname  by  reason  of  your  dexterity  in  picking 
locks  and  climbing  through  scullery  windows  ?  " 

"  If  you  say  so,  monsieur,  your  words  cannot  be 
disputed." 

"  Very  well."  The  commissary  scratched  a  few 
lines  on  a  memorandum  tablet.  Then  he  suddenly 
raised  his  quick  eyes  and  fastened  them  on  the 
prisoner  with  the  direct  question — 

"  How  came  you  to  be  detained  in  such  an  extra- 
ordinary manner  in  the  house,  No.  n,  Rue  Barbette, 
yesterday  ?  " 

A  vacant  and  stolid  expression  intended  to  convey 
an  idea  of  utter  innocence  came  over  "  The  Worm's  " 
face. 

"  Believe  me,  monsieur,"  he  said,  "  I  cannot  give 
you  the  slightest  explanation  of  that  extraordinary 
incident." 

"  Indeed !  You  surprise  me.  I  suppose  you 
wisn  -^e  to  understand  that  you  casually  strolled  in 
out  of  u  e  street  and  were  set  upon  by  three  Turks, 
who  gagged  you  and  bound  you  with  leather  thongs, 
leaving  you  to  starve  quietly  to  death  if  you  had 
not  been  rescued  by  reason  of  a  chance  visit  paid  to 
the  place  by  myself  and  others  ?  " 

"  I  assure  you,  monsieur,  that,  strange  as  it  may 


i68        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

seem,  you  have  almost  related  the  facts.  I  went  to 
the  place  in  question  with  a  very  ordinary  message 
from  a  Turkish  gentleman  with  whom  I  have  a  slight 
acquaintance.  The  other  Turks  listened  to  me  with 
the  gravity  peculiar  to  their  nation,  and  then,  before 
I  could  offer  a  word  of  remonstrance,  treated  me 
exactly  as  you  saw." 

"  At  what  time  did  you  go  there  ?  " 

"  It  must  have  been  nearly  three  o'clock,  the  day 
before  yesterday,"  was  the  answer. 

"  And  what  message  did  you  bring  ?  " 

"  I  was  told  to  ask  the  Turkish  gentlemen  to  be 
good  enough  to  cross  the  Pont  Neuf  exactly  at  half- 
past  six,  when  they  would  meet  a  friend  who  desired 
to  give  some  information  to  them." 

"  Oh  !  come  now,"  said  the  commissary,  with  a 
knowing  smile,  "  that  will  not  do,  Petit.  You  are 
far  too  old  a  hand  to  convey  such  a  childish  message 
as  that.  What  reason  can  you  have  for  seeking  to 
shield  these  men  who  treated  you  in  a  barbarous 
way  and  left  you  to  die  a  cruel  death  ?  " 

"  On  my  honour '  began  the  thief  melodra- 
matically, but  Brett  here  interrupted  the  conver- 
sation. 

"  Will  you  allow  me,"  he  said  to  the  commissary. 
"  to  put  a  few  questions  to  this  man  ?  " 

"  Certainly,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Now  listen,"  said  Brett,  sternly  gazing  at  the 
truculent  little  rascal  with  those  searching  eyes  of 
his,  which  seemed  to  reach  to  the  very  spine.  "  It 
is  useless  for  you  to  attempt  any  further  prevarica- 
tion. We  know  exactly  who  are  your  confederates. 
We  are  acquainted  with  a  large  number  of  the  gang 
that  frequents  the  Cafe  Noir.  Do  not  forget  that  I 
was  present  when  you  tried  to  palm  off  on  Hussein- 
ul-Mulk  the  false  diamonds,  which  your  confederates 


THE   INNKEEPER  169 

hoped  he  would  accept.  For  you  to  attempt  now 
to  escape  from  the  law  is  hopeless.  The  sole  chance 
you  have  of  remitting  a  punishment  which  may 
even  lead  you  beneath  the  guillotine  is  to  confess 
fully  and  freely  all  that  you  know  concerning  the 
outrage  which  has  been  committed. 

"  No,  don't  interrupt  me,"  he  continued  with  even 
greater  emphasis,  when  "  Le  Ver  "  tried  to  break  in. 
"  You  will  tell  me  that  you  merely  acted  as  the  agent 
of  others,  and  that  you  yourself  are  not  conscious  of 
the  nature  of  any  crime  that  has  been  committed. 
I  know  that  to  be  so.  You  have  been  made  a  mere 
tool.  You  are  the  cat,  simply  employed  by  the 
monkey  to  pull  the  chestnuts  out  of  the  fire,  and  you 
have  only  succeeded  in  getting  your  own  paws 
burnt.  Your  sole  chance  of  safety  now  is  to  inform 
the  commissary  and  me  exactly  how  you  came  to  be 
mixed  up  with  this  affair." 

The  Frenchman's  truculency  seemed  to  vanish 
under  Brett's  cutting  words.  His  wizened  face  even 
manifested  a  faint  flush  of  anger  as  the  barrister 
pointed  out  how  he  had  been  duped  by  his  employers 
and  made  to  run  risks  which  they  avoided. 

Yet  the  order  of  his  craft  was  strong  in  its  influ- 
ence, and  he  commenced  another  series  of  protesta- 
tions. 

"  I  assure  you,  gentlemen,"  he  cried,  "  that  with 
respect  to  the  Turks  I  have  no  knowledge  whatever 
of  their  pursuits  or  motives.  I  was  present  when 
this  English  gentleman  here  was  debating  with  them, 
and  I  understood  that  they  even  went  so  far  as  to 
use  threats  against  him.  My  mission  was  to  give 
to  the  leaders  of  the  Turks  a  package  which  I  did 
not  even  know  contained  diamonds,  either  genuine 
or  false.  No  one  could  be  more  surprised  than  my- 
self when  the  Turkish  gentleman  produced  them.** 


170        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  Who  sent  you  there  with  the  diamonds  ?  "  said 
Brett. 

"  Even  that  I  cannot  tell  you,"  said  Petit.  "  It 
was  a  mere  chance  affair.  I  was  seated  in  a  cafe 
sipping  some  absinthe  when  a  man  asked  me  if  I 
would  execute  a  small  commission  for  him.  He 
explained  that  it  was  to  deliver  a  parcel  at  a  house 
not  five  minutes  distant,  and " 

"  I  see,"  interrupted  Brett,  with  the  cynical  smile 
which  so  often  disconcerted  glib  liars  like  Petit. 
"  It  is  hopeless  to  expect  you  to  tell  the  truth.  How- 
ever, I  think  I  know  a  way  to  clear  your  wits.  You 
must  be  brought  face  to  face  with  La  Belle  Chasseuse. 
Perhaps  when  you  are  confronted  with  that  lady  in 
the  room  between  the  cafe*  and  the  billiard  saloon  of 
the  Cabaret  Noir " 

"  The  Worm  "  gasped  out  brokenly — 

"  Pardon,  monsieur  !     I  will  tell  you  everything  !" 

The  man's  face  had  absolutely  become  livid  as  he 
listened  to  the  barrister's  words. 

The  commissary  was  vastly  surprised  at  the  turn 
taken  by  the  conversation.  He  could  not  guess 
what  deep  significance  lay  behind  the  Englishman's 
threat,  and,  to  tell  the  truth,  Brett  himself  was  con- 
siderably astonished  at  the  effect  of  his  vague  in- 
sinuations, but  he  lost  not  a  moment  in  following 
up  the  advantage  thus  gained. 

"  Well,"  he  said,  "  tell  us  now  who  it  was  that  sent 
you  to  the  Turks  with  the  diamonds  ?  " 

"  It  was  Le  Jongleur,  Henri  Dubois." 

"  What  ?  "  cried  the  commissary,  starting  vio- 
lently. "  Henri  Dubois  !  The  most  expert  thief 
in  France  !  A  scoundrel  against  whom  the  police 
have  vainly  tried  for  years  to  secure  evidence." 

**  I  know  nothing  of  that,  monsieur,"  said  the 
little  man,  who  seemed  to  be  strangely  crestfallen, 


THE    INNKEEPER  171 

"  but  I  am  telling  you  the  truth  this  time.  It  was 
he  who  sent  me  the  day  before  yesterday  to  the  Rue 
Barbette,  and  again  yesterday,  although  I  was  very 
unwilling  to  go  the  second  time,  because,  as  this 
gentleman  will  tell  you,  they  looked  very  like  mur- 
dering me  on  the  first  occasion." 

"  What  was  the  object  of  your  visit  yesterday  ?  " 
said  Brett. 

"  There,  monsieur,  I  have  told  you  the  truth, 
although  monsieur  the  commissary  here  thinks  it  was 
childish.  My  instructions  really  were  to  ask  them 
to  meet  him  on  the  Pont  Neuf  at  6.30  p.m.,  when  he 
said  he  would  explain  everything  to  their  satis- 
faction. But,  above  all,  I  was  to  warn  them  to  be- 
ware of  the  Englishman." 

"  Then,  why  should  they  seize  and  gag  you  for 
conveying  such  a  simple  message  ?  "  demanded  the 
commissary. 

"  I  cannot  tell.  I  have  done  them  no  harm.  Be- 
lieve me,  gentlemen  both,  I  have  not  the  slightest 
idea  how  these  diamonds  were  obtained,  or  why 
there  should  be  such  a  fuss  about  them.  All  I  know 
is  that  these  Turks  are  desperate  fellows,  and  you 
won't  catch  me  going  near  them  again,  I  swear." 

"  How  long  have  you  known  Dubois  ?  "  said 
Brett. 

"  Oh,  two  years  more  or  less." 

"  Have  you  ever  been  associated  with  him  be- 
fore ?  " 

"  Never,  monsieur.  My  record  is  there."  And 
he  again  jerked  his  thumb  towards  the  volume  on 
the  table.  "  It  will  tell  you  that  I  deal  in  small 
affairs.  Dubois  is  an  artist.  If  he  found  a  woman's 
purse  in  the  street  he  would  return  it  to  her  with  a 
bow,  if  she  were  rich  and  handsome — and  with  some 
francs  added,  if  she  were  poor." 


172        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  I  know  little  about  him,"  he  continued,  "  except 
that  he  is  a  great  man.  They  say  that  he  once 
robbed  the  Bank  of  France  of  200,000  francs  !  " 

And  the  little  wretch's  voice  became  tremulous 
with  admiration  as  he  recounted  the  legend. 

"  He  is  a  favoured  lover  of  La  Belle  Chasseuse  ?  " 
demanded  Brett  sharply. 

"  The  Worm  "  recovered  his  equanimity  some- 
what at  this  question.  He  softly  drew  his  hand 
over  his  chin  as  he  replied  with  a  smirk ;  "  There 
are  others  !  " 

"  I  think  not,'*  came  the  quick  retort.  "  No  ; 
there  are  none  on  whom  mademoiselle  bestows  such 
favours.  She  left  Paris  with  him  last  night." 

"  The  devil !  "  ejaculated  the  little  man. 

"  Oh,  yes  ;  and  she  has  just  passed  a  fortnight 
with  him  in  London." 

"  A  thousand  thunders  !  "  screamed  Petit.  "  Her 
father  told  me  she  was  performing  in  a  music-hall  at 
Marseilles." 

The  barrister  had  evidently  touched  a  sore  point, 
and  "  The  Worm  "  was  more  ready  than  ever  to 
tell  all  that  he  knew  about  Le  Jongleur.  But  his 
information  amounted  to  little  more  of  importance. 
The  chief  fact  had  been  ascertained,  its  predominant 
interest  was  the  identity  of  the  man  who  had  planned 
and  carried  out  the  "  Albert  Gate  outrage." 

Brett  quickly  realized  that  to  question  him  further 
was  useless.  Petit  evidently  expected  to  be  set  at 
liberty  at  once.  In  this,  however,  he  was  disap- 
pointed, for  the  commissary  curtly  remanded  him 
to  the  cells. 

Brett,  on  the  other  hand,  made  up  his  mind  that 
"  The  Worm  "  at  liberty  might  be  more  valuable  to 
him  than  "  The  Worm  "  in  gaol.  So  he  asked  the 
commissary,  as  a  favour  to  himself,  to  set  Petit  free, 


THE   INNKEEPER  173 

first  giving  the  thief  to  understand  that  he  owed  his 
release  to  the  barrister's  intervention. 

This  was  done,  and  "  Le  Ver  "  was  voluble  in  his 
expressions  of  gratitude.  Brett  soon  cut  him  short. 

"  Here,"  he  said,  "  are  a  couple  of  louis  for  your 
immediate  necessities.  I  am  living  at  the  Grand 
Hotel,  and  I  want  you  to  call  there  each  morning  at 
ten  o'clock.  You  will  inquire  at  the  office  if  Mr. 
Brett  has  left  any  message  for  you.  Then,  if  I 
need  your  services,  I  will  be  able  to  reach  you 
early." 

Petit  protested  that  he  would  serve  monsieur  most 
willingly,  and  soon  afterwards  the  barrister  took 
leave  of  the  commissary,  promising  to  keep  him  fully 
posted  as  to  further  developments,  and  secure  for 
him,  and  him  only,  the  ultimate  credit  of  capturing 
such  a  noted  thief  as  Dubois.  Fate  settled  matters 
differently. 

The  French  official  was  already  much  impressed 
by  Brett's  method  of  handling  this  difficult  inquiry, 
and  he  consented  readily  enough  not  only  to  assist 
him  in  every  possible  way,  but  to  restrain  the  police 
from  further  active  interference  in  the  case  until 
matters  had  developed  from  their  present  stage. 

During  the  afternoon  Brett  received  a  visit  from 
his  actor  acquaintance,  who  brought  him  a  telegram 
from  Marseilles.  It  read — 

"  Mile.  Beauclaire  has  obtained  an  engagement 
here  at  the  Palais  de  Glace.  She  makes  her  first 
appearance  on  Monday  evening." 

Brett  smiled  as  he  realized  how  accurately  he  had 
interpreted  the  actions  of  La  Belle  Chasseuse  and  her 
companion. 

"  This  is  certain,"  he  said  to  himself.  "  They  left 
Paris  on  Thursday  night  and  they  probably  will  not 
reach  Marseilles  until  Monday.  I  have  plenty  of 


174       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

time  to  hear  Talbot's  story  from  his  own  lips  before 
I  take  my  departure  for  the  South." 

An  hour  later  he  was  seated  in  his  room  smoking 
and  reading  a  magazine  when  the  waiter  appeared. 

"  A  lady  and  three  gentlemen  wish  to  see  mon- 
sieur," he  explained. 

He  rose  promptly,  and  accompanied  the  man  to 
the  foot  of  the  staircase.  There,  near  the  elevator, 
he  saw  Edith  Talbot,  Lord  Fairholme,  and  Sir 
Hubert  Fitzjames,  whilst  with  them  was  a  tall, 
handsome  young  man,  in  whom  the  fair  outlines  of 
the  girl's  face  were  repeated  in  sterner  and  bolder 
characteristics. 

Edith  was  the  first  to  catch  sight  of  him.  She 
sprang  forward  and  cried  with  an  impulsiveness  thjit 
showed  how  deeply  her  quiet  nature  had  been  stirred. 

"Oh,  Mr.  Brett,  I  cannot  tell  you  how  grateful  I 
am  to  you  !  Here  is  my  brother  !  " 

The  two  men  shook  hands  and  looked  at  each 
other  with  a  natural  curiosity,  for  seldom  had  an 
acquaintance  been  made  after  more  exciting  pre- 
liminaries. 

"  I  am  indeed  glad  to  see  you,"  said  Brett,  shaking 
Talbot's  hand  with  more  demonstrativeness  than 
was  usual  to  one  of  his  quiet  temperament. 

"  Then  how  shall  I  find  words  to  express  myself  ?  " 
was  the  reply,  "  for  in  my  case  there  is  joined  to  the 
pleasure  of  making  a  much-desired  acquaintance 
the  knowledge  that  to  your  efforts  I  am  indebted 
for  my  liberty  and  possibly  for  my  reputation." 

"  We  have  much  to  say  to  each  other,"  said  the 
barrister.  "  I  suppose  you  have  secured  rooms  in 
the  hotel  ?  "  he  continued,  turning  to  Miss  Talbot. 

"  Oh,  yes,  everything  is  settled,"  she  cried.  "  The 
servants  are  looking  after  our  trunks.  I  simply 
would  not  wait  a  moment  until  I  had  seen  you. 


THE   INNKEEPER  175 

Please  take  us  all  somewhere  at  once  where  we  can 
talk  quietly." 

Brett  answered  with  a  smile  :  "  Lord  Fairholme 
and  I  have  a  sitting-room  which  we  use  in  common, 
and  which  has  already  been  the  scene  of  many  earnest 
conferences.  Let  us  go  there." 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE   RELEASE 


"VTOW,  who  talks  first  ?  "  Brett  cried,  once  the 

JLN      door  was  fairly  closed  behind  them. 

"  I  do,"  burst  forth  Fairholme.  "  My  story  will 
not  take  long  to  tell,  and  if  I  do  not  get  it  off  my 
chest,  I  shall  simply  explode." 

"  We  must  not  have  any  more  tragedies,"  said 
Brett,  "so  proceed." 

"  Well,  thanks  to  your  foresight,  I  found  the  two 
servants  and  your  ex-policeman  waiting  for  me  on 
the  platform  at  Charing  Cross.  As  I  only  carried 
a  handbag,  I  had  no  trouble  with  the  Customs,  and 
we^walked  straight  out  of  the  station.  In  less  than 
five  minutes  we  were  standing  outside  the  building 
which  contained  the  invalid  lady's  flat.  Your 
agent  told  me  that,  so  far  as  he  knew,  there  were 
no  other  persons  in  the  place  except  the  tenant  and 
her  two  servants,  an  elderly  French  or  Italian 
married  couple.  Our  collective  wits  could  not 
devise  a  plausible  pretext  for  gaining  access  to  the 
lady,  so  I  determined  to  settle  the  business  in  the 
brutal  British  fashion.  We  marched  quietly  up 
the  stairs  to  the  second  storey,  and  your  assistant 
pointed  out  the  right  door.  There  were  only  two 
flats  on  that  landing,  and  the  other  one  was  appar- 


THE   RELEASE  177 

ently  empty.  Your  man  had  made  a  somewhat 
important  discovery  since  he  wrote  to  you.  This 
empty  flat  had  been  taken  by  the  agent  who  acted 
for  the  parties  opposite,  and  although  the  place  was 
not  tenanted,  the  landlord  was,  of  course,  satisfied, 
as  the  rent  had  been  paid  in  advance.  This  seemed 
to  indicate  that  the  place  was  left  vacant  simply 
to  prevent  the  others  from  being  overlooked." 

Brett  marked  his  appreciation  of  Fairholme's 
sagacity  by  a  nod,  and  the  earl  continued — 

"  I  rang  the  bell  and  promptly  put  my  ear  to 
the  keyhole.  It  seemed  to  me  that  a  couple  of  doors 
were  hastily  closed,  and  then  someone  slowly 
approached.  The  outer  door  was  opened  and  a 
man's  head  appeared.  I  could  only  see  his  face  and 
a  portion  of  his  left  shoulder,  because  the  chain 
was  on  the  door,  and  the  opening  was  not  more  than 
eight  or  ten  inches.  Speaking  in  broken  English 
he  said — '  Vat  you  vant  ?  *  His  accent  showed  that 
he  was  a  Frenchman. 

"  I  answered  in  my  best  French,  '  I  wish  to  see 
madame,  your  mistress,  at  once.' 

"  *  It  is  impossible,'  he  said  in  the  same  language, 
and  simultaneously  he  tried  to  shut  the  door  in  my 
face.  I  shoved  my  foot  against  the  jamb  and  pre- 
vented him.  At  the  same  instant  my  own  servant 
and  I — as,  if  there  was  to  be  trouble,  I  thought  it 
best  to  keep  the  others  out  of  it — applied  our  utmost 
force  to  the  door  and  succeeded  in  snapping  the 
chain.  It  might  have  been  a  tough  job,  as  you 
know  that  to  force  a  way  through  anything  that 
yields  slightly  and  yet  holds  fast  is  much  more 
difficult  than  to  smash  a  lock  or  a  couple  of  bolts. 
Luckily  the  flats  were  jerry  built,  so  the  chain 
broke,  and  so  suddenly  that  the  Frenchman  was 
pitched  violently  backwards.  We  nearly  fell  after 


178        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

him.  The  ex-policeman  was  a  splendid  chap. 
His  first  idea  was  to  jump  towards  the  switch  of 
the  electric  lights  and  turn  on  every  lamp  in  the 
place. 

"  I  shouted,  *  Talbot,  are  you  there  ?  It  is  I, 
Fairholme.' 

"  I.  got  no  answer,  but  a  woman  darted  out  of  a 
room  which  proved  to  be  the  kitchen,  screamed 
something  which  I  could  not  catch,  and  handed  a 
revolver  to  the  Frenchman,  who  was  just  struggling 
to  his  feet.  That  was  where  my  prize-fighting 
butler  came  in  useful.  Before  you  could  say 
'  Wink '  he  gave  the  man  an  upper-cut  that  settled 
him  effectually  for  the  next  minute.  Almost  with 
the  same  movement  he  caught  the  woman  a  slap 
over  the  ear  that  upset  her  nerves  considerably. 
She  had  a  revolver  in  her  hand  too.  It  fell  to  the 
floor,  and  Smith,  your  servant,  seized  both  weapons. 

"  The  ex-policeman  called  out — *  I  do  not  think 
we  are  making  any  mistake,  sir.  They  would  not 
act  after  this  manner  if  they  were  on  the  square.' 

"  I  must  say  it  seemed  to  me  that  so  far  it  was 
we  who  had  been  acting  in  an  extraordinary  way, 
but  there  was  no  time  to  discuss  the  ethics  of  the 
case  then.  Whilst  my  butler  and  Smith  took  care 
of  the  couple,  your  assistant  and  I  hastily  examined 
three  rooms.  They  were  empty,  save  for  a  small 
quantity  of  furniture.  The  fourth  door  resisted 
our  efforts,  so,  of  course,  we  burst  it  open.  And  the 
first  thing  that  met  our  eyes  was  poor  old  Jack 
lying  on  his  back  on  the  bed,  and  glaring  at  us  in  a 
way  that  made  me  think  at  first  he  was  mad." 

"I  should  think  so,"  interrupted  Talbot.  "I 
would  like  to  see  your  face  if  you  were  trussed  up 
as  I  was — not  able  to  speak  a  word — and  a  fiendish 
row  going  on  in  the  passage  outside." 


THE   RELEASE  179 

"  You  were  gagged,"  questioned  Brett,  "  and 
your  wrists  and  ankles  were  secured  to  the  four 
corners  of  the  bed,  your  limbs  being  distended  in 
the  form  of  an  X  ?  " 

Fairholme  glanced  round  admiringly.  "  Of 
course,"  he  cried  delightedly,  "  I  knew  you  would 
guess  it.  That  is  the  pleasant  way  these  Turks 
have  of  securing  their  prisoners." 

"  It  is  an  awfully  uncomfortable  one,"  said  Tal- 
bot.  "  My  joints  are  still  stiff  at  the  mere  recollec- 
tion of  it.  I  have  lain  in  that  way,  Mr.  Brett,  for 
countless  hours.  Occasionally  the  brutes  would 
allow  me  to  change  my  posture,  but  the  moment 
anyone  came  to  the  door  I  was  strapped  up  in  an 
instant  and  a  gag  slipped  into  my  mouth.  What 
used  to  make  me  so  furious  was  the  knowledge  that 
if  only  I  got  the  chance  of  a  second  I  could  have 
broken  that  Frenchman's  neck  and  escaped,  but 
he  and  his  wife  always  took  such  precautions  that 
I  never  had  the  liberty  to  do  more  than  reach  with 
some  difficulty  the  food  that  they  gave  me.  How- 
ever, I  must  not  interrupt." 

*'  I  really  have  not  much  more  to  say,"  went  on 
Fairholme.  "  You  may  be  sure  it  did  not  take  me 
long  to  release  Talbot,  and  what  do  you  think  his 
first  words  were  when  he  slowly  sat  up  in  bed  and 
tried  if  his  legs  would  bend  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  guess,"  said  Brett. 

"  He  said  :  *  Have  they  got  the  diamonds  ?  ' 

"  I  answered  '  Yes.' 

"  *  But  it  was  impossible,'  he  said.  '  They  could 
not  have  mastered  all  those  policemen.' 

"  '  But  they  did,'  I  replied,  and  then  and  there, 
before  he  would  budge  an  inch,  he  made  me  tell  him 
the  whole  story.  Just  as  I  had  ended  we  heard  a 
scuffle  in  the  passage.  We  went  out,  though  Jack 


i8o       THE   ALBERT   GATE    AFFAIR 

was  hardly  able  to  walk  at  first.  It  was  Smith 
wrestling  with  the  woman,  who  was  a  regular  wild 
cat,  and  who  would,  even  then,  have  done  us  any 
m:schief  in  her  power.  There  was  nothing  for  it 
but  to  tie  her  hands  behind  her  back,  and  then 
fasten  her  securely  in  a  chair.  After  this  was  done 
we  took  counsel  as  to  our  next  movements.'* 

"  Wait  a  little,"  said  Brett.  "  How  many  rooms 
were  there  in  the  flat  ?  You  have  accounted  for 
four." 

"  I  forgot,"  said  Fairholme.  "  The  place  had 
six  rooms.  The  small  apartment  in  which  Jack  was 
confined  was  a  sort  of  dressing-room,  and  the  bed- 
room beyond  looked  out  into  the  well  of  the  block 
of  flats.  They  had  carefully  nailed  the  blind  of 
this  dressing-room,  so  that  not  even  a  chance  puff 
of  wind  could  blow  it  aside  and  reveal  its  secret 
to  anyone  in  the  flats  on  the  opposite  storey  or 
higher.  The  remaining  room  was  empty.  Your 
friend  the  policeman  subsequently  searched  the 
place  from  top  to  toe,  but  he  found  nothing.  The 
only  document  of  any  importance  was  an  address 
on  a  card  which  he  discovered  in  the  Frenchman's 
pocket." 

"  Ah,"  said  Brett,  "  what  was  that  address  ?  " 

"  Here  it  is." 

The  earl  produced  a  small  piece  of  pasteboard  on 
which  was  scribbled,  "  Monsieur  Jean  Beaujolais, 
chez  Monsieur  Henri  de  Lisle,  41,  Rue  Bonnerie, 
Paris." 

"  That  is  important,"  said  the  barrister.  "  Why 
did  you  not  wire  it  to  me  last  night  ?  " 

"  I  had  a  reason,"  said  the  earl  eagerly,  "  but 
that  comes  in  with  Jack's  part  of  the  story."  And 
he  turned  towards  Talbot,  who,  thus  summoned 
to  the  stage,  began  to  explain  matters. 


THE   RELEASE  181 

"  I  understand,  Mr.  Brett,"  he  said,  "  that  you 
are  accurately  acquainted  with  all  that  transpired 
until  the  moment  when  I  entered  the  Albert  Gate 
mansion  on  that  remarkable  night  ?  " 

"  That  is  so,"  said  Brett. 

"  Well,  when  Inspector  Sharpe  met  me  at  the 
door  on  my  arrival  he  told  me  that  his  Excellency 
Mehemet  Ali,  with  three  strange  gentlemen  and 
the  junior  members  of  the  commission,  awaited  me 
in  the  dining-room.  I  went  in  and  was  surprised 
to  find  the  three  visitors,  for  during  the  preceding 
month  not  a  single  stranger  had  entered  the  house 
save  a  member  of  the  Government  and  one  or  two 
important  officials  of  the  Foreign  Office,  who  came 
with  me  out  of  sheer  curiosity  to  see  a  collection  of 
remarkable  diamonds. 

"  The  strangers  bowed  politely  wnen  I  was 
introduced.  Two  of  them  spoke  neither  French 
nor  English,  but  the  third  man  spoke  French 
fluently.  He  had,  by  the  way,  a  somewhat 
peculiar  accent,  different  from  that  to  which  I  was 
accustomed  in  the  Turks.  It  was  softer,  more 
sibilant,  and  impressed  me  as  that  of  a  man  who 
was  accustomed  to  speak  Italian.  He  was  a  good- 
looking  chap,  about  my  height  and  build,  and  were 
it  not  for  his  brown  skin,  one  would  not  have 
regarded  him  as  a  Turk.  One  side  of  his  face  was 
deeply  scarred  with  a  sword-cut,  but,  if  anything, 
this  did  not  detract  from  his  appearance,  and  it 
gave  a  manly  aspect  to  an  otherwise  effeminate 
face." 

Brett  could  not  help  smiling  involuntarily. 

"  Are  you  sure  it  was  a  sword-cut  ?  " 

"  It  certainly  looked  like  one." 

"  And  his  skin  was  very  brown  ?  " 

"  Oh,  quite.    Indeed  it  was  a  shade  deeper  than 


182        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

that  of  most  Turks.  I  have  seen  very  many  of 
them.  Although  dark-featured,  they  are  often 
pallid  enough  in  reality,  and  their  deep-hued  com- 
plexion is  due  more  to  their  black  hair  and  eyebrows 
than  to  the  mere  colour  of  the  skin." 

Brett  smiled  again. 

"  I  think,"  he  said,  "  I  will  show  you  the  same 
gentleman  in  a  somewhat  different  aspect.  But 
proceed." 

"  The  explanation  given  to  me  by  Mehemet  Ali 
was  both  extraordinary  and  disconcerting,  es- 
pecially at  such  a  late  hour.  He  told  me  that  the 
three  gentlemen  to  whom  I  had  been  introduced — 
I  am  sorry,  by  the  way,  that  I  cannot  remember 
their  names,  as  they  were  all  Mohammeds,  or 
Rasuls,  or  Ibrahims,  and  the  dramatic  events  of  the 
night  subsequently  drove  them  from  my  mind — 
had  been  sent  post  haste  from  Constantinople  on 
a  special  mission.  They  had  only  reached  London 
that  night,  and  they  bore  with  them  a  special 
mandate,  signed  by  the  Sultan  himself,  directing 
Mehtmet  Ali  to  hand  over  the  diamonds  to  their 
charge,  and  to  at  once  return  with  his  assistants 
to  Yildiz  Kiosk. 

"  There  could  be  no  questioning  the  authenticity 
of  the  Sultan's  instructions.  The  document  was 
in  his  own  handwriting,  was  endorsed  with  his 
private  seal,  and  conveyed  other  distinguishing 
marks  which  rendered  his  Excellency  assured  on 
this  important  point.  He  told  me  that  he  was 
compelled  to  obey  implicitly,  and  were  it  possible 
he  would  have  started  from  London  that  night. 
This,  however,  was  out  of  the  question,  but  he  had 
not  lost  a  moment  in  sending  for  me  and  acquainting 
me  with  his  Majesty's  wishes. 

"  You  will  readily  perceive  that  the  affair  placed 


THE   RELEASE  183 

me  in  an  awkward  predicament.  I  was,  so  to 
speak,  representing  the  British  Government  in  the 
matter,  and  the  Foreign  Office  had  pledged  itself, 
through  our  Ambassador  at  Constantinople,  to 
undertake  all  the  precautions  for  safeguarding  the 
diamonds  with  which  you  are  acquainted.  It 
seemed  to  me  that  notwithstanding  the  urgency 
of  the  Sultan's  order,  I  should  not  be  doing  my 
duty  to  permit  the  transfer  to  be  made  in  such  an 
irregular  manner.  So  I  said  quite  plainly  that  the 
matter  could  not  be  settled  that  night.  They  must 
all  wait  until  the  morning,  when  I  would  consult 
my  Department,  and  Mehemet  Ah",  together  with 
his  aides,  could  leave  for  Constantinople  by  the 
evening  train,  after  my  superiors  had  been  ac- 
quainted with  the  Sultan's  wishes. 

"  Turks  are  difficult  people  to  understand.  It 
seemed  to  me  that  my  decision  gave  some  satisfac- 
tion to  Mehemet  Ali,  who  was  undoubtedly  very 
much  upset  by  the  queer  manner  in  which  he  had 
been  deposed  from  his  important  trust.  At  once 
an  animated  discussion  took  place." 

"  In  French  ?  "  interrupted  Brett. 

"  No  ;  in  Turkish." 

"  Did  the  gentleman  with  the  sabre-cut  on  his 
face  take  any  part  therein  ?  " 

"  Not  in  the  least.  He  sat  and  smoked  cigarettes 
in  the  most  unconscious  manner  possible,  leaving 
his  two  associates  to  carry  on  the  conversation." 

As  the  barrister  appeared  to  have  no  further 
question  to  ask  at  the  moment,  Talbot  continued — 

"  Several  times  Mehemet  Ali  appealed  to  me  to 
change  my  mind  and  formally  ratify  the  transfer  at 
once.  I  was  quite  firm  in  my  refusal,  and  did  not 
hesitate  to  describe  the  Sultan's  demands  as 
ridiculous.  I  was  rendered  more  determined,  if 


184        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

anything,  in  this  attitude  by  a  growing  certainty 
in  my  mind  that  his  Excellency  himself  approved 
of  my  attitude.  Ultimately,  it  seems,  they  hit 
upon  a  compromise.  The  whole  party  would 
remain  together  all  night  in  a  sort  of  dual  control, 
and  then  the  change  of  guardianship  would  take 
place  next  day  in  accordance  with  my  views  as  to 
what  was  right  and  proper.  I  must  admit  I  was 
intensely  relieved  when  this  decision  was  arrived 
at.  Looking  back  now  over  the  events  of  the 
night,  I  can  perceive  that  from  that  moment  the 
gang  who  effected  the  murders  and  the  robbery 
had  me  in  their  power,  for  they  had  completely  suc- 
ceeded in  allaying  my  suspicions,  and  I  can  only 
plead  in  extenuation  of  my  shortsightedness  that 
Mehemet  Ah"  himself,  and  the  other  gentlemen  with 
whom  I  had  been  acquainted  during  the  past  month, 
were  willing  accessories  to  the  arrangement." 

"  I  do  not  see,"  said  Brett,  "  that  you  have  the 
slightest  cause  to  reproach  yourself.  You  acted 
quite  properly  throughout,  and  I  am  sure  that  when 
all  the  facts  are  known  your  status  at  the  Foreign 
Office  will  be  improved  rather  than  diminished  by 
this  incident." 

The  other  man's  face  flushed  with  pleasure  as  he 
heard  these  words. 

"  Thank  you,"  he  replied  simply.  "  I  certainly 
took  every  precaution  that  suggested  itself  to  me. 
Subsequently  I  was  the  victim  of  circumstances. 
The  French-speaking  Turk,  as  I  have  told  you,  took 
no  part  whatever  in  the  negotiations,  and  when  he 
became  aware  of  the  modus  operandi  determined 
upon " 

*'  By  the  way,"  said  Brett,  "  how  did  he  become 
aware  of  it  ?  " 

"  Oh,  Mehemet  AH  told  him  in  French." 


THE   RELEASE  185 

"  Didn't  that  strike  you  as  curious  ?  " 

"  Most  certainly  it  did.  But  the  scoundrel  ex- 
plained it  afterwards  by  telling  me  that  although 
a  Turkish  subject,  he  had  lived  in  Algiers  and 
France  since  he  was  a  child,  and  had  quite  for- 
gotten his  mother  tongue.  But  he  was  employed 
in  a  confidential  position  in  the  Turkish  Embassy 
at  Paris,  owing  not  only  to  family  influence,  but  to 
his  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  French 
language." 

"  Ah ! "  said  Brett,  "  Monsieur  Henri  Dubois  has 
a  ready  wit." 

"  What !  "  cried  Edith,  who  naturally  enough 
was  following  each  word  with  the  utmost  interest, 
"  do  you  already  know  his  name  ?  " 

"  Not  only  his  name,"  replied  Brett,  "  but  his 
identity,  Miss  Talbot.  You  shall  see  him  in 
another  skin  and  without  the  sword-cut.  It  is 
possible,  however,  that  before  we  meet,  this  dis- 
tinguishing mark  may  be  replaced  by  a  fractured 
skull  or  a  bullet  wound." 

Fairholme  suddenly  clenched  his  right  fist  and 
examined  his  knuckles,  his  unconscious  action 
causing  the  others  to  laugh. 

"  Is  he  a  Frenchman,  then  ?  "  said  Talbot. 

"  Unquestionably — a  most  modern  product." 

"  And  his  name  is  Dubois  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  All  right.  In  future  I  will  allude  to  him  by 
his  proper  title.  Well,  Monsieur  Dubois  strolled 
towards  me  with  the  easy  confidence  of  a  man  who 
was  sure  of  himself. 

"  *  This  affair  bores  me,'  he  said.  *  I  see  no 
reason  why  I,  who  am  in  no  way  concerned  with 
the  Sultan's  collection  of  precious  stones,  should 
sit  up  all  night  keeping  guard  over  them  with  these 


j86       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

very  earnest  gentlemen  here.  I  am  going  to  my 
hotel.  I  have  sent  my  portmanteau  to  the 
Carlton.  Will  you  honour  me  by  driving  there  and 
telling  me  something  about  your  wonderful  London 
as  we  go  ? ' 

"  The  man  looked  at  me  with  a  meaning  in  his 
eyes  that  conveyed  quite  plainly  the  intimation — 

"  '  We  can  talk  quietly  in  the  cab,  and  I  can  ex- 
plain much  that  is  at  present  hidden.'  Unfortun- 
ately I  fell  in  with  his  suggestions. 

"  We  crossed  the  dining-room  together.  We  were 
searched  by  the  police  in  the  hall,  much  to  his 
apparent  surprise,  and  then  we  drove  off  through 
St.  George's  Place. 

"  He  at  once  aroused  my  curiosity  by  telling  me 
sensational  details  of  a  widespread  plot  to  dethrone 
the  Sultan.  An  essential  part  of  the  conspiracy 
was  to  obtain  possession  of  the  diamonds  before 
they  had  been  cut,  as  they  were  an  heirloom  from 
the  Prophet,  and  it  would  be  a  terrible  thing  in  the 
eyes  of  the  more  fanatical  section  of  the  Moham- 
medans if  they  were  tampered  with  in  any  way. 

"  This  sounded  reasonable  enough,  as  the  same 
story  had  been  dinned  in  my  ears  for  several  weeks. 

"  He  made  out  that  for  reasons  of  State  the  Sul- 
tan had  decided  to  change  the  Minister  Plenipo- 
tentiary charged  with  secret  mission  to  London. 

"  Altogether  he  talked  so  candidly,  and  with  such 
an  air  of  treating  the  whole  business  as  the  bugbear 
of  a  timid  monarch,  that  I  really  believed  him. 

"  At  last  we  reached  the  Carlton.  We  got  out 
and  he  paid  the  cabman,  who  drove  off  round  the 
corner ;  then  my  new  acquaintance  explained  to 
me  that  he  placed  no  greater  trust  in  his  fellow- 
countrymen  than  did  their  ruler.  Therefore  he 
had  led  them  to  believe  he  was  staying  at  that  hotel, 


THE   RELEASE  187 

whereas  he  had  in  reality  taken  up  his  abode  in  the 
flat  of  a  French  family  with  whom  he  was  ac- 
quainted. If  I  would  come  with  him  for  a  moment 
he  promised  to  place  me  in  possession  of  certain 
documents  which  would  render  easy  my  explana- 
tions to  the  Foreign  Office  next  morning. 

"  I  accompanied  him  without  hesitation,  secure 
in  the  knowledge  that  a  strong  force  of  police 
guarded  my  charge  at  Albert  Gate,  both  inside  and 
outside  the  house.  We  went  to  the  mansions  where 
he  said  he  lived.  The  place  had  a  perfectly  respect- 
able exterior,  and  is  situated,  as  you  know, 
in  a  reputable  thoroughfare.  We  ascended  to  the 
second  floor,  entered  the  flat,  and  were  ushered 
by  a  middle-aged  Frenchwoman  into  a  sort  of 
sitting-room. 

"  Dubois  turned  to  a  writing-desk  and  unlocked 
a  drawer. 

"  '  Here  are  the  documents  I  promised  you,  Mr. 
Talbot,'  he  said ;  but,  to  my  amazement,  he 
whipped  out  a  revolver  and  held  it  within  two  feet 
of  my  breast. 

"  '  If  you  move,  or  attempt  to  cry  out,  you  are  a 
dead  man ! '  he  cried. 

"  At  the  same  instant  a  door  behind  me  opened 
and  some  three  or  four  persons  entered.  I  was 
so  furious  at  the  trick  that  had  been  played  upon 
me  that  I  disregarded  his  threat  and  sprang  at  him, 
but  he  did  not  fire.  Flinging  the  revolver  behind 
him  on  the  writing-table  he  closed  with  me.  Before 
I  well  knew  what  had  happened  I  was  tied  hand 
and  foot,  gagged,  and  placed  helpless  in  a  chair. 
A  few  minutes  later,  after  a  muttered  consultation 
between  my  captors,  I  was  taken  to  the  room  in 
which  Fairholme  found  me,  and  I  never  left  the 
place  until  nearly  nine  o'clock  last  night. 


i88       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  It  was  a  most  ghastly  experience.  I  would 
sooner  die  than  go  through  it  again. 

"  If  ever  I  get  within  measurable  distance  of 
Monsieur  Henri  Dubois  I  promise  you  that  I  will 
repay  him  with  interest  some  of  the  agony  he 
inflicted  on  me.  I  never  thought  I  should  hate  a 
man  as  I  hate  that  Frenchman.  I  do  not  want  to 
kill  him.  I  want  to  torture  him !  " 

This  was  the  first  sign  that  Talbot  had  given  of 
the  anger  that  filled  his  soul.  For  a  moment  no  one 
spoke.  Edith  stifled  a  sob,  and  Sir  Hubert  Fitz- 
james  broke  the  tension  by  swearing  as  vehemently 
as  ever  did  the  army  in  Flanders. 

"  You  have  suffered,"  said  Brett  quietly,  "  but 
not  in  vain.  It  is  only  by  the  manner  in  which 
these  blackguards  treated  you  that  we  have  obtained 
so  much  knowledge.  Your  capture  was  a  necessary 
part  of  their  scheme.  I  wonder  now  that  after  you 
had  served  their  purpose  they  did  not  kill  you. 
It  was  not  out  of  pity,  believe  we.  The  fact  that 
you  were  spared  confirms  me  in  the  opinion  that 
the  Albert  Gate  murders  were  a  gigantic  blunder, 
never  contemplated  by  the  expert  criminal  who 
planned  the  theft.  But  continue.  What  happened 
afterwards  ?  " 

Talbot  almost  summoned  up  a  smile  as  he  said — 
"  Really,  the  next  thing  was  so  grotesque  that 
were  not  the  whole  business  so  serious  a  one  you 
would  be  compelled  to  laugh  at  it. 

"  Looking  back  now  to  those  first  ghastly  hours 
when  I  laid  on  the  bed  tied  hand  and  foot,  I  find  it 
difficult  to  recall  any  definite  impressions.  It 
would  be  absurd  to  say  that  I  suffered,  either 
mentally  or  physically.  I  was  sunk  in  a  sort  of 
stupor  of  rage,  and  my  bonds  did  not  hurt  me  so 
long  as  I  kept  quiet.  Curiously  enough,  my 


THE   RELEASE  189 

thoughts  were  somewhat  altruistic.  Instead  of 
speculating  as  to  my  own  fate  I  rather  wondered 
what  would  be  the  outcome  of  the  whole  mysterious 
business.  I  could  not  bring  myself  to  believe  that, 
cleverly  as  the  rogues  had  outwitted  me,  they 
would  be  able  to  similarly  dupe  a  strong  body  of 
Metropolitan  police,  not  to  mention  Mehemet  All 
and  his  assistants. 

"  At  last  I  fell  asleep,  dozing  fitfully  at  first,  but 
finally  giving  way  to  the  deep  slumber  of  exhaustion. 

"  I  was  awakened  by  someone  shaking  me,  though 
not  roughly.  It  took  me  some  time  to  recover  my 
scattered  senses,  and  at  first  I  was  almost  unable 
to  move,  owing  to  the  constrained  position  of  my 
limbs.  As  well  as  I  could  judge  it  was  not  yet 
daylight,  for  the  electric  lamps  were  turned  on, 
and  I  subsequently  found  that  such  rays  of  natural 
light  as  penetrated  into  my  room  during  the  day 
did  not  arrive  for  a  considerable  time. 

"  Thenceforth,  of  course,  my  sole  method  of  judg- 
ing the  progress  of  time  was  by  the  alternation  of 
meals  and  the  difference  of  light  between  day  and 
night. 

"  Someone  assisted  me  to  assume  a  sitting  pos- 
ture, the  cords  attached  to  my  wrists  were  relaxed, 
and  I  was  firmly  held  by  two  men — one  a  Turk  whom 
I  had  not  seen  before,  the  other  a  Frenchman  whom 
you  found  in  the  flat. 

"  At  the  foot  of  the  bed  were  standing  Dubois 
and  a  closely-veiled  female — a  young  woman,  as 
well  as  I  could  judge,  and  a  person  of  tall  and  elegant 
stature,  who,  it  would  appear,  spoke  only  French. 

"  Dubois  addressed  me  calmly. 

"  *  I  hope,'  he  said,  *  you  are  in  a  better  temper, 
my  dear  Talbot  ?  ' 

"  *  It  does  not  appear  to  me  that  the  state  of 


THE  ALBERT  GATE  AFFAIR 

my  temper  is  of  any  material  significance,'  I 
answered. 

"  *  No,'  he  replied  nonchalantly.  '  The  game  is 
in  my  hands,  and  will  probably  remain  there  for  a 
considerable  period.  But  I  do  not  wish  to  be 
unkind.  You  have,  I  am  given  to  understand,  a 
highly  respectable  uncle  and  a  very  charming 
sister,  who  will  no  doubt  suffer  much  perturbation 
owing  to  your  mysterious  disappearance.  Now, 
you  may  not  think  it,  but  I  am  a  very  humane 
sort  of  fellow.  Consequently,  I  am  quite  agreeable 
that  you  should  write  them  a  brief  note,  omitting 
of  course  all  superfluous  information,  such  as  dates, 
addresses,  and  other  embarrassing  facts,  but  simply 
telling  them  that  you  are  well.  I  will  guarantee 
its  safe  delivery.' 

"  Naturally,  I  jumped  at  the  offer.  The  veiled 
lady  supplied  me  with  a  sheet  of  notepaper  and  an 
envelope,  and  I  scribbled  the  unfortunate  letter 
which  was  subsequently  posted  in  Paris  and  caused 
such  a  sensation.  I  had  only  one  hand  at  liberty, 
so  Dubois  politely  offered  to  seal  the  envelope  for 
me,  first,  however,  reading  carefully  what  I  had 
written. 

"  *  That  is  quite  correct,'  he  said  ;  '  it  will  relieve 
their  feelings  and  prove  at  the  same  time  highly 
serviceable  to  me,  as  the  letter  will  be  posted  in 
Paris  and  not  in  London.  You  see,  my  dear  Talbot, 
now  readily  you  fall  in  with  my  plans.  You  are  as 
putty  in  my  hands.  Now,  I  suppose,  being  a  brave 
Englishman,  you  would  sooner  have  died  than 
written  this  letter  if  you  had  guessed  it  would 
prove  of  material  assistance  to  me  ?  ' 

"  I  fear  I  used  some  very  bad  language  to  Dubois, 
notwithstanding  the  presence  of  the  lady,  but  he 
paid  little  heed  to  me,  and  the  pair  at  once  under- 


THE   RELEASE  191 

took  the  most  curious  proceedings  I  have  ever 
witnessed. 

"  They  had  before  them  a  table  set  out  with  all 
sorts  of  paint,  paste,  and  powders,  such  as  one  might 
expect  to  find  in  an  actor's  dressing-room. 

"  Sitting  himself  astride  a  chair  so  that  the  light 
fell  on  his  face,  Dubois  submitted  himself  to  the 
skilful  hands  of  the  woman,  who  forthwith  began 
to  make  him  up  in  an  exact  resemblance  to  me. 
The  right  side  of  his  face  was  towards  me,  but  when, 
in  obedience  to  her  requirements,  he  turned  some- 
what, I  noticed  to  my  astonishment  that  the  scar 
which  I  have  mentioned  had  completely  dis- 
appeared, and  then  I  saw  that  his  Turkish  com- 
plexion had  also  vanished,  leaving  him  a  particu- 
larly white-skinned  Frenchman,  with  a  high  colour. 

"  Ah !  "  said  Brett,  leaning  back  in  his  chair  and 
attentively  surveying  the  ceiling. 

"  You  must  remember,"  went  on  Talbot,  "  that 
my  wits  were  somewhat  confused  by  the  extra- 
ordinary circumstances  of  the  hour.  Having  been 
so  suddenly  awakened  from  a  sound  sleep,  and 
subsequently  annoyed  by  the  incident  of  the  letter, 
it  took  me  some  moments  to  recognize  these  dis- 
crepancies in  his  appearance.  At  first,  so  to  speak, 
I  knew  him  immediately  as  Dubois,  but  the  more 
I  looked  at  him  the  less  confident  I  would  have 
been  were  it  not  that  his  voice  and  manner  supplied 
unerring  indications  of  his  identity. 

"  The  lady  proceeded  with  her  work  in  the  most 
business-like  fashion,  and  to  my  intense  amazement 
he  quickly  assumed  a  marked  resemblance  to 
myself.  Not  such,  perhaps,  as  would  bear  close 
scrutiny,  but  rather  the  effect  attained  by  a  skilful 
artist  in  a  rapid  sketch,  or  caught  by  a  fleeting 
glance  whilst  passing  a  mirror. 


IQ2        THE   ALBERT   GATE    AFFAIR 

" '  What  is  the  game  now  ?  '  I  cried,  when  the  true 
nature  of  their  purpose  dawned  upon  me. 

"  '  Oh,  just  the  same,'    replied  Dubois,  grinning, 

*  I  merely  wish  to  puzzle  the  thick-headed  brains 
of  you  Englishmen  a  little  more.     That  is  all.' 

''  '  Halloa  !  '  I  cried,  '  you  understand  English  ?  ' 

"  '  Yes,'  he  answered  coolly.  *  It  is  frequentl  7 
necessary  in  my  business.' 

"  '  Well,'  I  said,  '  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  you 
are  an  accomplished  villain.  What  you  intend  to 
achieve  by  masquerading  in  this  fashion  I  utterly 
fail  to  understand.  You  can  never  be  such  a  fool 
as  to  think  that  you  will  be  able  to  gain  admittance 
to  Albert  Gate  by  impersonating  me.  Were  you 
even  to  succeed  you  would  still  be  as  far  off  as  ever 
from  securing  your  booty,  which,  I  suppose,  is  the 
Imperial  diamond  and  its  companions.' 

"  '  Really,'  he  said,  with  a  sneer,  *  I  thought 
that  you,  Mr.  Talbot,  were  endowed  with  a  little 
more  intelligence  than  the  average.  Pardon, 
Mignon,  pour  un  moment? 

"  He  rose  from  his  chair,  unfastened  a  case  which 
he  took  from  the  breast-pocket  of  his  overcoat,  and 
showed  me  the  diamonds  which  had  been  the  object 
of  so  much  care  and  solicitude  on  my  part  during 
many  weeks. 

"  '  You  see,'  he  continued,  seating  himself  again, 
whilst  the  lady  resumed  her  task  without  a  word, 

*  the  business  has  been  satisfactorily  accomplished, 
Mr.  Talbot.     The  diamonds  are  here  ;    so  are  you. 
Unfortunately  his  Excellency  and  the  secretaries 
are  with  the  Prophet.     You  will,  I  am  sure,  express 
my  regrets  to  the  police,  to  the  Foreign  Office,  and 
to  all  concerned,  that  the  Sultan's  commissionaries 
should  have  been  so  unceremoniously  despatched 
to  Paradise.     It  was  not  my  fault,   believe  me, 


THE  RELEASE  193 

nor  was  it  altogether  necessary.  I  am  in  no  way 
responsible  for  the  bungling  measures  adopted  by 
my  Turkish  assistants.  You  see,  in  Constantinople 
they  are  accustomed  to  these  drastic  means  of 
settling  disputes.' 

"  He  rattled  on  so  pleasantly  that  I  hardly 
grasped  the  true  significance  of  his  words,  so  I 
replied  with  almost  equal  flippancy — 

"  '  I  will  be  most  pleased  to  convey  your  regrets 
to  the  proper  authorities.  May  I  ask  when  I  shall 
be  at  liberty  to  do  so  ?" 

"  *  Ah,'  he  said,  '  there  you  puzzle  even  my 
intelligence.  It  will  certainly  be  days,  it  may  be 
weeks,  before  you  can  communicate  with  your 
friends.' ' 

"  A  sudden  frenzy  seized  mo  at  those  words,  and 
I  endeavoured  to  smash  the  heads  of  my  two 
gaolers  together  by  throwing  them  off  their  balance 
outwards,  and  then  rapidly  contracting  my  arms. 
Thereupon  I  made  another  discovery.  A  cord  lying 
loosely  round  mv  neck  was  suddenly  tightened, 
and  I  was  thrown  back  choking.  A  fourth  man, 
of  whose  presence  I  was  unconscious,  was  stationed 
behind  me  and  held  the  noose  in  his  hands. 

"  It  was  some  time  before  I  recovered  my  breath 
or  my  speech. 

"  At  last  I  was  allowed  to  rise  again,  and  Dubois 
said  with  a  quiet  smile  wuich  was  intensely  irri- 
tating— 

"  *  By  this  time,  Mr.  Talbot,  you  should  have 
realized  that  you  have  not  fallen  into  the  hands 
of  children.  We  do  not  wish  to  do  you  a  mischief. 
Indeed,  it  would  not  suit  our  purpose.  It  is  far 
from  our  desire  to  quarrel  with  the  British  Govern- 
ment or  to  take  the  life  of  one  of  its  rising  young 
diplomatists.  The  dispute  in  which  you  are 

N 


194       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

unfortunately  involved  is  between  a  certain  section 
of  the  Sultan's  subjects  and  that  potentate  himself. 
But  really  you  must  recognize  the  absolute  help- 
lessness of  your  position.  You  have  just  received 
a  stern  reminder.  Let  it  be  the  last,  for  if  you  give 
us  any  more  trouble  we  may  end  a  difficult  situa- 
tion by  effectively  cutting  your  throat.  Such  an 
operation  would  be  distasteful  to  us  and  most 
distressing  to  you.  So  please  do  not  compel  us  to 
perform  it.' 

"  I  glared  at  him  viciously.  Speak  I  could  not, but 
he  paid  no  further  attention  to  me,  and  his  make-up 
was  now  pronounced  to  be  perfect  by  his  critical 
companion. 

"  *  Vous  etes  un  tres  bel  Anglais,  mon  vieux,1  she 
cried,  coquettishly  setting  her  head  on  one  side 
and  glancing  first  at  him  and  then  at  me." 

"The  cat!"  cried  Edith.  "She  evidently 
thought  you  good-looking,  Jack." 

Talbot  blushed  and  laughed  at  the  involuntary 
slip. 

"  I  am  not  responsible  for  her  opinions,"  he  said. 
"  I  am  simply  telling  you  what  happened. 

"  Dubois  left  the  room,"  he  continued,  "  and 
returned  in  a  few  moments,  dressed  in  an  English 
tweed  suit,  with  my  overcoat  and  a  deerstalker 
cap.  Upon  my  honour,  he  was  so  like  me  that, 
notwithstanding  my  rage,  I  was  compelled  to  smile 
at  him.  He  caught  my  transient  mood  for  an 
instant. 

"  Tiens  !  "  he  cried,  *  that  is  better.  The  surgical 
operation  is  beginning  to  take  effect.  You  see  the 
joke  ?  " 

"  '  It  is  a  somewhat  bitter  species  of  humour,'  I 
replied.  '  Perhaps  in  the  future  it  may  have  a 
sequel.' 


THE  RELEASE  195 

"  *  Life  is  made  up  of  sequels,'  was  the  airy 
answer.  '  Events  generally  turn  out  to  be  so 
completely  opposite  to  that  which  I  anticipated 
that  I  no  longer  give  them  a  thought.  I  live  only 
for  the  present,  and  at  this  moment  I  am  victorious. 
But  now,  Mr.  Talbot,  I  purpose  taking  a  little  trip  to 
the  Continent  on  your  account.  I  hope,  therefore, 
for  your  sake,  that  the  Channel  will  be  smooth.' 

"  With  a  mock  bow  of  much  politeness  he  took 
his  leave,  carrying  with  him  the  case  of  diamonds. 
I  have  never  seen  him  since.  Last  night  in  the 
Foreign  Office  I  met  Captain  Gaultier,  who  told  me 
of  the  rencontre  on  the  steamer.  I  readily  forgave 
him  for  the  mistake  he  had  made  with  reference 
to  my  appearance,  but  it  was  too  bad  that  he  should 
imagine  I  would  bolt  to  Paris  with  a  lady  of  the- 
atrical appearance  in  broad  daylight." 

"  Yes,"  cried  Fairholme,  "  if  it  had  been  the  night 


"  Bobby  !  "  exclaimed  Edith. 

"  Oh,  I  meant,  of  course,"  stammered  Fairholme, 
"  that  by  night  Gaultier  might  have  been  more 
easily  mistaken." 

"  Well,  and  what  happened  at  the  Foreign 
Office  ?  " 

Brett's  question  recalled  the  younger  people  to 
the  gravity  of  the  conclave. 

"  First  of  all,"  said  Talbot,  "  Fairholme  drove  me 
straight  home,  where  it  was  necessary  to  give  some 
slight  preliminary  explanation  before  I  made  a  too 
sudden  appearance,  so  I  remained  in  the  cab  outside 
whilst  Fairholme  went  in  and  found  Edith." 

"  Ah  !  "  said  Brett,  still  surveying  the  ceiling  ; 
but  there  was  so  much  meaning  in  his  voice  that 
this  time  it  was  the  turn  of  the  young  couple  to 
blush. 


196       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"We  did  not  take  long  to  explain  matters," 
continued  Talbot.  *'  I  sent  off  messengers  post- 
haste to  the  Under-Secretary  and  others  suggesting 
that  if  possible  we  should  meet  at  the  Foreign 
Office.  Within  an  hour  my  chiefs  were  good 
enough  to  fall  in  with  my  views,  and  therefore  1 
had  an  opportunity  to  tell  them  my  story  exactly 
as  I  have  repeated  it  to  you.  The  result  is  that  I 
carry  with  me  a  letter  from  the  Under-Secretary 
in  which  he  explains  his  views.  I  am  already 
acquainted  with  his  reasons,  but  I  have  no  doubt 
that  he  puts  them  before  you  quite  clearly." 

He  handed  a  letter  to  Brett.  Its  contents  were 
laconic,  but  unmistakable — 

"  The  inquiry  in  which  you  are  engaged,"  it  read, 
"  must  be  conducted  with  the  utmost  secrecy  and 
discretion.  The  gravest  political  importance  is 
attached  to  its  outcome.  No  trouble  or  expense 
should  be  allowed  to  interfere  with  the  restoration 
of  the  diamonds  to  their  rightful  owner.  The 
British  Government  will  regard  this  as  a  most 
valuable  service  to  the  State,  and  Mr.  Talbot  is 
commissioned  to  place  at  your  disposal  the  full 
resources  of  the  Foreign  Office.  You  will  also 
find  that  his  Majesty's  Ministers  throughout  Europe 
have  been  advised  to  give  you  every  assistance, 
whilst  there  is  little  reason  to  doubt  that  the  various 
European  Governments  will  be  ready  to  offer  you 
all  possible  support.  The  first  consideration  is  the 
restoration  of  the  gems  intact  to  the  Sultan ;  the 
second,  absolute  secrecy  as  to  the  whole  of  the 
circumstances." 

"  Whew  !  "  whistled  Brett.  "  Read  between  the 
lines,  this  communication  shows  the  serious  nature 
of  our  quest.  If  those  diamonds  are  not  recovered, 
a  revolution  in  Turkey  is  the  almost  certain  outcome, 


THE  RELEASE  197 

and  Heaven  alone  knows  what  that  means  to  the 
European  Powers  most  concerned." 

"  If  you  succeed,"  said  Sir  Hubert  Fitzjames, 
"  the  Government  will  make  you  a  baronet." 

"  If  you  succeed,"  growled  Talbot,  "  I  will  get 
even  with  that  Frenchman." 

"  And  when  you  succeed,"  said  Fairholme,  in  a 
matter-of-fact  tone  that  indicated  the  wild  im- 
probability of  any  other  outcome,  "  Edith  and  I 
will  get  married  !  " 


CHAPTER  XIV 

"  TOUT  VA   BIEN  " 

BRETT  now  deemed  it  advisable  to  take  the 
commissary  of  police  fully  into  his  confi- 
dence. The  official  promptly  suggested  that  every 
personage  in  Paris  connected  even  remotely  with 
the  mystery — Gros  Jean,  the  Turks,  the  waiter 
at  the  Cafe  Noir,  and  even  the  little  thief  "  Le 
Ver " — should  be  arrested  and  subjected  to  a 
proces  verbal. 

But  Brett  would  not  hear  of  this  proceeding. 

He  quite  firmly  reminded  the  commissary  that 
the  wishes  of  the  British  Government  must  be 
respected  in  this  matter,  and  the  proposed  whole- 
sale arrests  of  persons,  some  of  whom  were  in  no 
way  cognisant  of  the  crime,  would  assuredly  lead  to 
publicity  and  the  appearance  of  sensational  state- 
ments in  the  Press. 

"  But,  monsieur,"  cried  the  Frenchman,  "  some- 
thing must  be  done.  Even  you,  I  presume,  intend 
to  lay  hands  on  the  principal  men.  While  they 
are  wandering  about  the  country  each  hour  makes 
it  easier  for  them  to  secrete  the  diamonds  so  effec- 
tually that  no  matter  what  may  be  the  result  the 
Sultan  will  never  recover  his  property." 

"  Calm  yourself,  I  beg,"  said  the  barrister,  with 


"TOUT    VA    BIEN"  199 

difficulty  compelling  himself  to  reason  with  this 
excitable  policeman.  "  You  speak  as  though  we 
had  in  our  hands  every  jot  of  evidence  to  secure  the 
conviction  of  Dubois  and  his  associates  before  a 
judge." 

"  But  is  it  not  so  ?  "  screamed  the  other. 

"  No  ;  it  is  very  far  from  being  so.  Let  us  look 
at  the  facts.  In  the  first  place  the  Turks  will  not 
speak.  They  are  political  fanatics.  The  moment 
a  policeman  arrests  them  they  become  dumb. 
Torture  would  bring  nothing  from  them  but  lies. 
Then  we  have  the  two  people  who  acted  as  Mr. 
Talbot's  gaolers.  What  charge  can  we  prefer 
against  them  ?  Merely  one  of  illegal  detention, 
whilst  they  would  probably  defend  themselves 
by  saying  that  Talbot  was  represented  to  them  as  a 
lunatic  whose  restraint  was  necessary  for  family 
reasons.  Then  we  come  to  Dubois  himself  and 
the  fair  Mile.  Beaucaire.  In  the  first  place,  you 
may  be  certain  that  they  have  provided  a  strong 
alibi  to  prove  that  they  were  in  Paris  on  the  days 
when  we  are  certain  they  were  in  London.  Who 
can  identify  either  of  them  ?  The  lady  we  rule 
out  of  court  at  once.  The  only  persons  who  saw 
her  were  Mr.  Talbot  and  Captain  Gaultier,  the 
latter  of  whom  has  already  placed  on  record  the 
statement  that  he  would  not  recognize  her  again. 
Talbot's  evidence  is  stronger,  but  I  would  not  like 
to  hear  him  subjected  to  the  merciless  cross- 
examination  of  an  able  counsel.  As  for  Dubois, 
there  are  two  inspectors  of  police  and  a  dozen 
intelligent  Metropolitan  constables  who  would  be 
forced  to  swear  that  he  was  not  the  man  who  entered 
Albert  Gate  on  the  night  of  the  murder  in  company 
with  the  other  Turks.  I  tell  you  candidly,  mon- 
sieur, that  in  my  opinion  the  case  would  not  only 


200        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

break  down  very  badly,  but  Mr.  Talbot  would 
leave  the  court  under  grave  suspicion,  whilst  I 
would  be  regarded  by  the  public  as  a  meddlesome 
idiot." 

"  Then  what  are  we  to  do  ?  "  said  the  com- 
inissary,  piteously  throwing  out  his  hands  and 
shrugging  his  shoulders  with  the  eloquent  French 
gesture  that  betokens  utter  bewilderment. 

"  Difficult  though  it  may  be,  we  must  first 
accomplish  the  main  part  of  our  work.  In  other 
words,  we  must  secure  the  diamonds  before  we 
collar  the  murderers." 

The  Frenchman  was  silent  for  a  moment.  At 
last  he  said  submissively — 

"  In  what  way  can  I  help  ?  " 

"  By  procuring  for  me  from  the  chief  of  your 
department  an  authorization  to  call  in  the  aid 
of  the  police  when  and  where  I  may  desire  their 
assistance.  This,  of  course,  will  render  necessary 
on  his  part  some  inquiry  before  I  am  entrusted 
with  such  an  important  document.  The  British 
Embassy  in  Paris  and  your  own  Foreign  Office  will 
quickly  supply  you  with  the  reasons  why  this  power 
should  be  given  to  me." 

"  But  what  of  the  house  of  the  Rue  Bon- 
bonnerie  ?  " 

"  You  anticipated  my  next  request.  Whilst 
you  are  looking  to  that  letter  you  must  place  at  my 
disposal  two  of  your  most  trusty  agents.  In  their 
company  Lord  Fairholme  and  I  purpose  visiting 
the  house  to-night." 

They  were  conversing  in  the  commissary's  office 
at  a  late  hour  after  Brett  had  quitted  his  friend 
in  the  Grand  Hotel. 

Within  a  few  minutes  the  two  Englishmen  and 
their  French  companions  were  standing  outside 


Reginald  Brett. 


—Page  20O, 


The  Albert  Gat,  Mytttry 


"TOUT    VA    BIEN"  201 

No.  41,  Rue  Bonbonnerie,  and  they  found  that  Mon- 
sieur de  Lisle  kept  a  small  shop,  whose  only  signifi- 
cant feature  was  a  placard  announcing  that  letters 
might  be  addressed  there. 

"  Oh,"  said  Brett,  when  he  noticed  this  legend, 
"  this  is  simple.  We  need  not  waste  much  time 
here." 

The  four  men  walked  inside,  crowding  the  narrow 
space  before  a  diminutive  counter.  The  proprietor 
was  supping  in  style,  as  they  could  perceive  through 
the  glass  top  of  the  door  which  communicated  with 
the  sitting-room  at  the  back.  His  feast  consisted 
of  a  tankard  of  thin  wine,  half  a  loaf  of  black  bread, 
and  two  herrings. 

The  man  was  surprised  by  the  sudden  incursion 
of  customers.  He  came  out  looking  puzzled  and 
alarmed. 

"  Have  you  any  letters  here  for  Monsieur  Jean 
Beaujolais  ?  "  said  Brett. 

"  No,  monsieur." 

"  Have  you  received  any  letters  for  a  person  of 
that  name  ?  " 

"  No,  monsieur." 

"  I  suppose  you  never  heard  the  name  of  Jean 
Beaujolais  before  in  your  life  ?  " 

"  I  think  not,  monsieur." 

"  Then,"  exclaimed  Brett,  turning  quietly  away,- 
"  I  fear  you  must  be  arrested.  These  two  gentle- 
men " — and  he  nodded  towards  the  detectives — 
"  will  take  you  to  the  Prefecture,  where  perhaps 
your  memory  may  improve." 

The  man  blanched  visibly.  His  teeth  chattered, 
and  his  hands  shook  as  if  with  ague,  whilst  he 
nervously  arranged  some  small  objects  on  the 
counter. 

"  I  cry  your  pardon,  monsieur,"  he  stammered, 


202        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  but  you  will  understand  that  I  receive  letters  at 
my  shop  for  a  small  fee,  and  I  cannot  remember  the 
names  of  all  my  customers.  I  will  search  with 
pleasure  among  those  now  in  my  possession  to  see 
if  there  are  any  for  M.  Beaujolais." 

"  You  are  simply  incriminating  yourself,"  said 
Brett  sternly.  "  If  your  excuse  were  a  genuine  one 
you  would  first  have  looked  among  your  letters 
before  answering  so  glibly  that  the  name  of  Beau- 
jolais was  unfamiliar." 

"  I  beg  of  you  to  listen,"  cried  the  dismayed  shop- 
keeper. "  I  had  no  idea  you  were  from  the  Pre- 
fecture, otherwise  I  would  have  answered  you  in 
the  first  instance.  There  have  been  letters  here 
for  Monsieur  Beaujolais.  They  came  from  London. 
He  called  for  them  three  or  four  times.  The  last 
letter  arrived  yesterday  morning.  It  is  here  now. 
I  have  not  seen  Monsieur  Beaujolais  since  the  pre- 
vious evening." 

He  took  from  a  drawer  a  packet  of  letters  tied 
together  with  string,  and  the  handwriting  betrayed 
the  contents  of  most  of  them.  They  evidently 
dealt  with  that  species  of  the  tender  passion  which 
finds  its  outlet  in  the  agony  column  or  in  fictitious 
addresses. 

One  of  the  detectives  did  not  trust  to  Monsieur 
de  Lisle's  examination.  He  seized  the  bundle  and 
went  through  its  contents  carefully,  but  this  time 
Monsieur  de  Lisle  was  speaking  the  truth. 

There  was  only  one  letter  addressed  to  Beaujolais, 
and  it  bore  a  foreign  postmark.  Brett  tore  it  open. 
It  contained  a  single  sheet  of  notepaper,  without  a 
date  or  address,  or  any  words  save  these,  scrawled 
across  the  centre — 

"  Tout  va  bicn." 


"TOUT    VA    BIEN"  203 

He  placed  the  document  and  its  envelope  in  his 
pocket-book,  and  then  fixed  his  keen  glance  on  the 
shopkeeper's  pallid  face. 

"  What  sort  of  a  person  is  Monsieur  Beaujo- 
lais  ?  " 

The  man  was  still  so  nervous  that  he  could  hardly 
speak. 

"  I  am  not  good  at  descriptions,"  he  began. 

So  Brett  helped. 

"  Was  he  a  Frenchman,  about  my  height,  elegant 
in  appearance,  well  built,  with  long  thin  hands  and 
straight  tapering  fingers,  with  very  fair  skin  and 
high  colour,  dark  hair  and  large  eyes  set  deeply 
beneath  well-marked  eyebrows  ?  " 

"  That  is  he  to  the  life,"  cried  the  shopkeeper. 
"  Monsieur  must  know  him  well.  I  recall  him  now 
exactly,  but  I  could  not  for  a  hundred  francs  have 
described  him  so  accurately." 

"  How  long  have  you  known  him  ?  "  broke  in 
Brett. 

"  Let  me  think,"  mused  the  man,  who  had  now 
somewhat  recovered  from  his  alarm.  "  He  came 
here  one  day  last  week — I  think  it  was  Thursday, 
because  that  day  my  daughter  Marie — no  matter 
what  Marie  did,  I  remember  the  date  quite  well 
now.  He  came  in  and  asked  me  if  I  did  not  receive 
letters  for  a  fee.  I  said  '  Yes,'  and  told  him  that  I 
charged  ten  centimes  per  letter.  He  gave  me  his 
name,  and  thereafter  called  regularly  to  obtain  the 
enclosure  from  London.  He  always  handed  me 
half  a  franc  and  would  never  take  any  change." 

"  Was  he  alone  ?  " 

"  Invariably,  monsieur." 

"  Thank  you.  You  will  not  be  arrested  to-night. 
I  think  you  have  told  the  truth." 

The  shopkeeper's  protestations  that  he  had  given 


204        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

every  assistance  in  his  power  followed  them  into 
the  street. 

Brett  dismissed  the  two  detectives  and  returned 
to  the  hotel,  where  he  and  Fairholme  found  Edith 
and  her  brother  sitting  up  for  them.  When  Talbot 
heard  the  contents  of  the  letter  he  remarked  :  "  I 
suppose  that  '  All  goes  well '  means  that  I  am  still 
a  prisoner  ?  " 

"  Undoubtedly,"  said  the  barrister.  "  The  letter 
was  posted  hi  the  Haymarket.  It  came  from  your 
French  host.  I  wonder  what  he  will  write  now  ? 
By  the  way,  where  is  he  ?  Did  you  lose  sight  of 
the  couple  after  your  escape  ?  " 

"  I  did,"  laughed  Talbot.  "  But  Inspector  Winter 
did  not.  By  some  mysterious  means  he  learnt  all 
about  Fairholme's  action  in  smashing  in  the  door. 
Whilst  I  was  at  the  Foreign  Office  that  night  he 
arrested  both  the  man  and  the  woman." 

"  Winter  is  a  perfect  terror,"  said  Brett.  "  He 
dreams  of  handcuffs  and  penal  servitude.  I  hope 
this  couple  will  not  be  brought  to  trial,  or  at  any 
rate  that  your  name  will  not  be  mixed  up  in  it." 

"Oh,  no.  As  soon  as  I  heard  the  Under-Secre- 
tary's wishes,  I  promptly  communicated  with  Scot- 
land Yard.  The  Frenchman  and  his  wife  will  be 
remanded  on  a  mysterious  charge  of  abetting  a 
felony  and  held  in  durance  vile  until  their  testimony 
is  wanted,  should  we  ever  capture  Dubois." 

At  Brett's  request,  detectives  were  hunting 
through  Paris  all  that  night  and  the  next  day  for  a 
sign  of  Hussein-ul-Mulk  and  his  Turkish  friends. 
But  these  gentlemen  had  vanished  as  completely 
as  if  the  earth  had  swallowed  them  up. 

This  was  a  strange  thing.  Although  Paris  is  a 
cosmopolitan  city,  a  party  of  Turks,  only  one  of 
whom  could  speak  French,  should  be  discovered 


"TOUT    VA    BIEN"  205 

with  tolerable  rapidity  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the 
French  police  maintain  such  a  watch  upon  the 
inhabitants. 

It  was  not  until  Brett  and  his  four  companions 
quitted  the  train  at  Marseilles  late  at  night  and  the 
barrister  received  a  telegram  from  the  commissary 
announcing  that  the  search  made  by  the  police  had 
yielded  no  results,  that  he  suddenly  recalled  the 
existence  of  a  doorless  and  windowless  room  in  the 
Cafe  Noir. 

Curiously  enough,  he  had  omitted  to  make  any 
mention  of  this  strange  apartment  in  his  recital  to 
the  official.  He  would  not  trust  to  the  discretion 
of  the  Telegraph  Department,  so  on  reaching  the 
Hotel  du  Louvre  et  de  la  Paix  he  succeeded,  after 
some  difficulty,  in  ringing  up  the  commissary  on 
the  long-distance  telephone. 

Having  acquainted  the  police  officer  with  the 
exact  position  of  the  hidden  apartment,  he  ended 
by  saying— 

"  Continue  inquiries  throughout  Paris  during  the 
whole  of  to-morrow.  Do  not  visit  the  Cabaret  Noir 
for  the  purpose  of  police  inspection  until  a  late 
hour — long  after  midnight — when  the  cafe  is  empty 
and  the  Boulevard  comparatively  deserted.  It  is 
only  a  mere  guess  on  my  part.  The  Turks  may  not 
be  there.  If  they  are,  they  should  be  set  at  liberty 
and  not  questioned.  Tell  them  they  owe  their 
escape  to  me.  If  you  do  not  find  them  you  may 
make  other  discoveries  of  general  interest  to  the 
police.  But  above  all  things,  I  do  not  wish  you  to 
interfere  with  Gros  Jean  or  his  house  until  the  next 
twenty-four  hours  have  elapsed." 

The  commissary  assured  him  that  his  desires 
would  be  respected,  and  soon  afterwards  Brett  went 
upstairs  with  the  full  determination  to  secure  a 


206       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

long  and  uninterrupted  night's  sleep,  of  which  he 
stood  much  in  need. 

He  had  reached  the  sitting-room  reserved  for  the 
use  of  the  party  when  Talbot  and  Lord  Fairholme 
burst  in  excitedly. 

"  We  have    seen  her  !  "  gasped  the  earl. 

"  Seen  whom  ?  "  demanded  the  barrister. 

"  Mademoiselle  Beaucaire,"  cried  Talbot ;  "  the 
woman  who  accompanied  Dubois  in  his  flight  from 
London.  I  recognized  her  instantly.  I  could  pick 
her  out  among  a  million  as  the  same  person  who 
so  coolly  made  up  Dubois  to  represent  me,  whilst  I 
was  lying  tied  on  the  bed  in  that  flat." 

In  their  eagerness  the  two  men  had  forgotten  to 
close  the  door.  Brett  ran  to  it,  and  looked  out  into 
the  passage  to  learn  if  their  words  had  perchance 
been  overheard.  No  one  was  in  sight.  He  closed 
the  door  behind  him  when  he  re-entered  the  room, 
and  said  quietly — 

"  How  did  you  happen  to  meet  her  ?  " 

"  Whilst  you  were  wrestling  with  the  telephone," 
said  Fairholme,  "  Edith  and  Jack  and  I  went  to 
the  door  of  the  hotel  to  have  a  look  at  the  people 
passing  in  the  Cannebiere.  None  of  us  have  ever 
been  in  Marseilles  before,  you  know.  We  were 
gazing  at  the  crowd,  when  suddenly  Jack  gripped 
my  arm  and  said  :  '  There  she  is  !  Look  at  that 
woman,  quick  ! '  He  pointed  to  a  tall,  well-dressed 
female,  wrapped  up  in  a  fur  cloak,  and  wearing  a 
large  feather  hat.  Luckily  her  veil  was  up,  and 
the  electric  light  fell  fully  on  her  as  she  passed.  She 
was  undoubtedly  La  Belle  Chasseuse,  and  I  bet  you 
anything  you  like  she  had  just  come  away  from 
the  music-hall  where  she  is  performing." 

"  Did  she  see  you  ?  "  demanded  Brett  excitedly. 

"  Not  a  bit ;  she  was  gazing  at  the  passing  tram- 


"TOUT    VA    BIEN"  207 

cars,  and  evidently  on  the  look-out  for  some  par- 
ticular line." 

"  What  happened  next  ?  "  demanded  the  barris- 
ter. "  Where  is  Miss  Talbot  ?  " 

"  Edith  has  gone  after  her,"  said  Fairholme. 

"  What !  "  cried  Brett,  more  startled  than  he 
cared  to  own. 

"Yes,"  broke  in  Talbot  eagerly.  "She  heard 
my  words  and  instantly  decided  to  follow  her.  She 
said  that  the  woman  knew  both  of  us,  and  might 
easily  detect  us,  but  she,  Edith,  was  unknown  to 
her,  and  would  never  be  suspected.  She  simply 
forced  us  to  come  and  tell  you,  and  then  darted  off 
like  a  greyhound  before  we  could  stop  her." 

Brett  forced  himself  to  say  calmly — 

"  I  always  knew  that  Miss  Talbot  had  brains,  but 
still  I  wish  she  had  not  taken  this  risk.  Nevertheless, 
your  chance  discovery  and  her  prompt  action  may 
be  invaluable  to  us." 

"  But  what  must  we  do  ?  "  exclaimed  the  im- 
petuous Fairholme.  "  We  cannot  allow  Edith  to 
go  wandering  around  Marseilles  by  herself  at  this 
hour  of  the  night.  I  have  always  heard  that  this 
town  is  a  perfectly  damnable  place.  What  a  fool 
I  was  not  to  follow  her  at  once." 

"  Miss  Talbot  has  acted  quite  rightly,"  said  Brett 
decisively.  "  We  must  simply  remain  here  until 
she  returns.  There  is  not  the  slightest  ground  for 
alarm.  A  woman  who  could  act  with  such  ready 
judgment  is  well  able  to  take  care  of  herself.  Unless 
I  am  much  mistaken,  we  shall  see  her  within  the 
hour." 

It  was  well  for  the  peace  of  mind  of  the  younger 
men  that  Sir  Hubert  Fitzjames  had  gone  to  his 
room  soon  after  the  party  reached  the  hotel.  Had 
the  irascible  baronet  known  of  his  niece's  mission, 


2o8        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

no  power  on  earth  could  have  restrained  him  from 
setting  every  policeman  in  Marseilles  on  her  track 
forthwith. 

And  so  they  kept  their  vigil,  striving  to  talk 
unconcernedly,  but  watching  the  clock  with  feverish 
impatience  until  Edith  should  return. 


CHAPTER  XV 

"  MARIE  " 

MARSEILLES  is  one  of  the  most  picturesque 
cities  in  the  world. 

Its  streets  cluster  round  an  ancient  harbour, 
famous  before  history  was  writ,  or  climb  the  sides 
of  steep  hills  enclosing  a  land-locked  bay. 

In  the  suburbs  Marseilles  is  modern  enough,  but 
the  chief  thoroughfare,  known  to  all  who  read,  the 
famous  and  ever  busy  Cannebiere,  plunges  rapidly 
downhill  until  it  empties  itself  on  the  crowded  quays 
that  surround  the  old  port. 

With  the  newer  Marseilles  of  the  Joliette — well 
found  in  wharfs  and  warehouses,  steam  cranes  and 
railway  lines — the  town  beloved  of  the  Phoenicians 
has  no  concern.  There  is  no  touch  of  modern 
ugliness  in  the  tiny  maritime  refuge  which  is  barely 
half  the  size  of  the  Serpentine.  Lofty,  old-fashioned, 
half-ruined  houses  throng  close  to  its  rugged  quays. 

At  night  this  quarter  of  the  turbulent  city  wears 
an  air  of  intense  mystery.  The  side  streets  are  nar- 
row and  tortuous.  Dark  courts  and  alleys  twist  in 
every  conceivable  direction,  while  the  brightness  of 
the  many  wine  shops  facing  each  other  across  the 
tideless  harbour  only  serves  to  enhance  the  squalid 

«"  Q 


210        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

gloom  that  forms  the  most  marked  characteristic 
of  the  buildings  clustered  behind  them. 

Edith  Talbot,  intent  on  the  pursuit  of  a  woman 
so  dramatically  bound  up  with  the  mystery  affecting 
her  brother,  paid  heed  to  no  consideration  save  the 
paramount  one,  that  the  hurrying  figure  in  front 
must  be  kept  in  sight. 

Contrary  to  the  opinions  expressed  by  the  two 
men,  Mdlle.  Beaucaire  did  not  board  a  passing  tram- 
car.  To  Edith's  eyes  she  seemed  to  be  eagerly 
watching  for  some  person  who  might  pass  in  one  of 
the  small  open  carriages  which  in  Marseilles  take 
the  place  of  the  London  hansom.  Even  as  she 
rapidly  walked  down  the  crowded  street  made- 
moiselle closely  scrutinised  each  vehicle  that  overtook 
took  her,  and  once,  at  a  busy  crossing,  she  deliber- 
ately stopped.  Edith,  of  course,  slackened  her 
pace,  and  simultaneously  she  became  aware  how 
incongruous  was  her  appearance  at  such  an  hour  in 
such  a  thoroughfare. 

Much  taller  than  the  average  Frenchwoman, 
neatly  dressed  in  an  English  tailor-made  costume, 
with  her  smart  straw  hat  and  well-gloved  hands, 
Miss  Talbot  naturally  attracted  the  curious  gaze 
of  the  passers  by. 

Instantly  it  occurred  to  her  that  some  disguise 
was  absolutely  necessary  if  she  would  not  court 
an  attention  fatal  to  her  enterprise.  It  chanced 
that  where  she  stood  for  a  moment  a  fruit-seller 
occupied  a  tiny  shop,  squeezed  tightly  between  a 
church  and  a  restaurant.  The  interior  was  dark 
enough,  for  a  couple  of  flaring  naphtha  lamps  were 
so  disposed  as  to  cast  their  flickering  brilliancy 
over  the  baskets  of  fruits  and  vegetables  displayed 
in  the  window  or  crowded  together  on  the  pavement. 

The  woman  inside  had  a  kindly  and  contented 


"MARIE"  211 

face,  cherry  ripe  in  cheek  and  lips,  and  from  a  pair 
of  deep-set  blue  eyes  she  looked  out  quizzically 
at  the  hurrying  crowd. 

Assuring  herself  with  one  fleeting  glance  that  La 
Belle  Chasseuse  still  remained  motionless  and  intent 
at  the  crossing,  Edith  darted  into  the  shop.  She 
produced  a  sovereign. 

"  I  have  not  much  French  money,"  she  said 
hurriedly,  "  but  this  is  worth  twenty-five  francs. 
Can  you  let  me  have  a  large  dark  shawl  ?  I  do  not 
care  whether  or  not  it  is  old  or  worn.  It  is  necessary 
that  I  should  remain  out  for  some  few  minutes 
longer,  and  I  do  not  wish  to  court  observation." 

Even  as  she  spoke  she  removed  her  straw  hat 
and  eagerly  tore  off  her  gloves.  The  Frenchwoman 
saw  that  one  of  her  own  sex,  English,  and  conse- 
quently mad,  desired  to  screen  her  appearance  from 
too  inquisitive  eyes. 

It  was  sufficient  for  her  that  there  should  be  a 
spice  of  romance  in  the  request.  With  one  hand 
she  pocketed  the  sovereign  ;  with  the  other  she 
dived  into  a  recess  beneath  the  counter  and  pro- 
duced the  very  article  Edith  wanted. 

"  But  certainly,  mademoiselle,"  she  cried.  "  See. 
It  will  cover  you  to  the  waist." 

Edith  advanced  another  pace  into  the  darkest 
corner  of  the  shop,  quickly  arranged  the  shawl  over 
her  head  and  shoulders,  and,  hastily  murmuring  her 
thanks,  rushed  forth  into  the  street  again,  leaving 
hat  and  gloves  behind  in  her  haste. 

The  fruit-seller  was  far  too  wise  a  woman  to  call 
after  the  other  and  apprise  her  of  the  loss. 

"  It  must  be  serious,  this  adventure,"  she  mused. 
"  And  yet  the  novelists  say  that  the  English  are 
cold  !  For  me,  now,  I  think  that  women  are  very 
much  alike  all  over  the  world." 


212        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

And  with  this  bit  of  Proven9al  philosophy  she 
picked  up  the  discarded  articles  and  discovered,  to 
her  joy,  that  they  must  be  worth  at  least  ten  francs. 

"  Thirty-five  francs  for  an  old  shawl  is  a  good 
night's  work,"  she  murmured.  "  Who  could  dream 
of  such  fortune  at  this  hour  ?  To-morrow  I  will  buy 
a  candle  and  place  it  in  the  church  of  Notre  Dame 
de  la  Garde." 

Meanwhile  Edith  was  just  in  time  to  see  Mdlle. 
Beaucaire  either  abandon  her  search  or  resolve  it  in 
some  manner,  for  the  lady  once  more  resumed  her 
progress  towards  the  old  harbour,  in  whose  placid 
bosom  could  be  seen  the  reflections  of  numberless 
lights  from  the  small  promontory  beyond,  crowned 
with  the  Fort  St.  Nicholas  and  the  Chateau  du 
Phare. 

Looking  neither  right  nor  left,  but  hastening  on- 
wards with  rapid  strides,  mademoiselle  crossed  the 
rough  pavement  of  the  Quai  de  la  Fraternite,  bear- 
ing away  diagonally  towards  the  left. 

But  if  the  Frenchwoman  was  a  good  walker, 
Edith  Talbot  was  a  better  one,  and  now  that  she  no 
longer  feared  notice — for  she  draped  the  large  shawl 
as  elegantly  about  her  shoulders  as  any  woman  in 
Marseilles — she  decided  to  adopt  a  little  strategy. 
Instead  of  keeping  directly  behind  mademoiselle 
she  broke  into  a  run  under  the  shadow  of  the  houses. 
By  thus  making  up  ground  she  approached  the 
narrow  street  towards  which  the  Frenchwoman 
was  heading  almost  simultaneously  with  her  quarry, 
but  apparently  from  an  opposite  direction.  The 
aspect  of  the  thoroughfare  through  which  the  two 
women  sped  was  forbidding  in  the  extreme.  The 
houses  were  many  storeys  in  height,  of  disreputable 
appearance,  and  so  close  together  on  both  sides 
that,  were  other  conditions  equal,  an  active  man 


"  MARIE  "  213 

might  easily  spring  from  one  room  into  another 
across  the  street. 

The  walls  appeared  to  be  honeycombed  with  doors 
and  windows,  while  an  indescribable  number  of 
shutters,  balconies,  projecting  poles  and  clothes- 
lines created  such  a  medley  in  the  darkness,  which 
was  only  made  visible  by  a  solitary  bracket  lamp, 
that  Edith  felt  some  anxiety  as  to  whether  or  not 
she  would  be  able  to  recognize  the  house  into  which 
mademoiselle  disappeared,  should  her  destination 
be  close  at  hand. 

There  were,  of  course,  many  other  people  in  the 
street  besides  themselves,  else  Edith's  self-imposed 
piece  of  espionage  would  have  been  rendered  diffi- 
cult, if  not  impossible. 

Men,  women,  and  children  lounged  about  the 
doorways  and  kept  up  a  constant  cackle  of  conver- 
sation in  a  mysterious  patois  which  Miss  Talbot, 
though  an  excellent  French  scholar,  could  make 
nothing  of.  The  presence  of  these  people  naturally 
shielded  her  from  the  direct  observation  of  La  Belle 
Chasseuse,  but  nevertheless  threatened  a  slight 
danger  should  it  be  necessary  for  her  to  stand  still, 
for  she  well  understood  that  in  such  a  locality  each 
person  was  known  to  the  other,  and  the  loitering  of 
a  stranger  could  not  fail  to  arouse  curiosity. 

Soon  after  passing  beneath  the  lamp  mademoiselle 
vanished  into  a  doorway.  Edith  perceived  to  her 
joy  that  at  this  point  there  was  no  group  of  loungers. 
Indeed,  for  a  few  yards  the  street  was  empty.  Keep- 
ing her  eyes  sedulously  fixed  upon  the  exact  spot 
where  the  Frenchwoman  disappeared,  she  reached 
the  door,  and,  after  a  moment's  hesitation,  stepped 
lightly  into  the  interior  darkness. 

The  narrow  entrance  was  at  once  lessened  to  half 
its  width  by  a  staircase.  She  listened  intently,  and 


214       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

could  hear  the  other  woman  ascending  the  second 
flight  of  stairs. 

At  the  next  landing  mademoiselle  paused  and 
knocked  three  times.  Presumably  in  reply  to  a 
question  within,  she  murmured  something  which 
Edith  could  not  catch,  and  was  at  once  admitted. 
The  shooting  of  a  rusty  bolt  supplied  further  evidence 
that  the  door  was  locked  behind  her. 

Edith's  next  task  was  to  identify  the  house.  She 
stepped  out  into  the  street  again  and  crossed  to  the 
opposite  pavement.  She  looked  up  to  the  second 
storey,  but,  owing  to  the  short  distance — barely 
fourteen  feet — that  separated  her  from  the  house — 
she  could  discern  nothing,  save  that  the  windows 
on  that  floor  were  closely  shuttered. 

She  rapidly  noted  that  the  door  was  the  third 
removed  from  the  lamp. 

Whilst  wondering  what  to  do  next,  a  couple  of 
girls  approached  her.  They  were  young  and  of 
course  inquisitive.  Without  any  dissimulation, 
they  stood  in  front  of  her  and  scrutinized  her  face, 
wondering,  no  doubt,  who  this  tall  and  graceful 
newcomer  could  be. 

"  What  is  your  name  ?  "  said  one.  "  Where  do 
you  live  ?  Have  you  just  come  here  ?  Are  you 
staying  with  old  Mother  Peter  ?  " 

With  difficulty  Edith  caught  the  drift  of  their 
questions.  But  she  answered  smilingly— 

"  No,  I  do  not  live  here,  and  I  do  not  know 
Mother  Peter.  But  I  want  you  to  tell  me  who  lives 
in  the  house  opposite  ?  " 

Her  Parisian  French  greatly  surprised  the  two 
girls,  who  giggled  at  each  other,  and  one  of  them 
cried— 

"Oh,  here's  a  lark  1" 

But  they  scentecj  an  intrigue,  and  were  quite 


"  MARIE  "  215 

ready  to  give  all  the  information  in  their  power. 

"  A  lot  of  people  live  there,"  said  the  elder  one, 
trying,  with  the  ready  tact  of  her  nation, to  accommo- 
date her  words  to  the  understanding  of  the  stranger, 
"It  all  depends  who  you  want  to  know  about. 
On  the  ground  floor  is  Josef  the  barber  and  his 
wife,  with  three  little  ones.  It  cannot  be  them,  J 
am  sure,  and  it  cannot  be  Monsieur  Ducrot,  who  is 
their  lodger,  for  he  is  seventy  years  old  and  a 
sacristan  in  the  Church  of  the  Sacred  Heart.  Then 
on  the  first  floor  there  are  three  men,  not  a  woman 
amongst  them.  One  is  a  bill-sticker,  another  a 
fisherman,  and  the  third  a  waiter  in  the  Cafe  du 
Midi.  I  do  not  know  their  proper  names.  We  call 
the  bill-sticker  '  Paste-pot,'  and  the  fisherman 
'  Crab.'  The  waiter  is  called  '  Thomas '  in  the 
cafe,  but  when  a  letter  comes  for  him  it  is  in  another 
name.  Then,  on  the  second  floor — by  the  way, 
Marie,  who  is  it  that  lives  on  the  second  floor  ?  " 

Edith  with  difficulty  restrained  her  excitement. 
She  felt  that  if  only  these  youngsters  rattled  on  a 
little  longer  she  might  gain  some  valuable  informa- 
tion. 

Marie,  thus  appealed  to,  was  evidently  of  a  more 
cautious  temperament  than  her  companion. 

"  If  the  young  lady  will  tell  us  why  she  wants  to 
know,  we  may  be  able  to  help  her  ?  "  she  stipu- 
lated. 

"  Certainly,"  cried  Edith,  instantly  resolving  to 
pursue  the  tactics  of  the  penny  novelette.  "  I  have 
been  deserted.  My  lover  has  been  taken  away  from 
me  by  another  woman — at  least,  that  is  what  I  am 
informed.  I  do  not  wish  to  make  any  trouble  about 
it.  There  are  plenty  as  good  men  as  he  left  in  the 
world ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,I  must  not  act  unjustly. 
I  have  been  told  that  he  lives  in  this  house — that 


216       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

he  is  living  with  her  here  at  this  moment,  in  fact. 
If  I  can  make  sure  of  it,  I  will  go  away  and  never  set 
eyes  on  him  again  unless  by  chance,  and  then  you 
may  be  sure  I  will  take  no  notice  of  him.  I  am 
not  one  of  those  silly  girls  who  break  their  hearts 
over  a  faithless  sweetheart." 

Marie  was  reassured. 

"  I  should  think  not,"  she  said,  with  a  sympathetic 
and  defiant  sniff.  "  I  had  the  very  same  experience 
last  Sunday,  when  Phillippe — the  grocer's  boy  at 
the  corner,  you  know — walked  along  the  Corniche 
Road  with  a  chit  of  a  girl  out  of  a  shop.  She  thinks 
herself  better  than  we  are  because  she  stands  behind 
a  counter,  and  I  am  sure  she  made  eyes  at  Phillippe 
one  day  when  his  master  sent  him  there  on  an 
errand." 

"  Philh'ppe  must  have  bad  taste,"  broke  in  Edith. 
"  But  I  am  sorry  I  must  hasten  away.  If  you  girls 
will  tell  me  quickly  all  the  other  people  that  live 
in  that  house  I  will  give  you  two  francs  each.  That 
is  all  the  money  I  have  got." 

She  produced  the  coins,  which  she  easily  dis- 
tinguished from  the  gold  in  her  pocket  by  their  size. 
She  knew  that  to  appear  too  well  supplied  with  money 
in  that  neighbourhood  was  to  court  danger,  if  not 
disaster,  to  her  undertaking. 

Both  girls  eagerly  seized  the  forty-sous  pieces. 

"  Oh,  on  the  second  floor,"  said  Marie,  "  I  am 
afraid  you  will  find  your  young  man.  They  are  a 
funny  couple  that  live  there.  They  only  came  here 
on  Monday.  When  did  your  young  man  leave 
you  ?  " 

**  I  saw  him  on  Saturday." 

••Where?" 

This  was  a  poser,  but  Miss  Talbot  answered  des- 
perately | 


"MARIE"  217 

"  At  Lyon." 

"  What  is  he  like  ?  " 

Another  haphazard  shot. 

"  He  is  tall  and  dark,  and,  oh !  so  good-looking, 
with  a  beautifully  white  skin  and  a  pink  complexion." 

"  That  is  he  !  "  cried  both  girls  together. 

"  The  scoundrel  !  But  tell  me,"  went  on  Edith, 
whose  excitement  was  readily  construed  as  the 
pangs  of  jealousy,  "  who  is  the  creature  that  lives 
with  him  ?  " 

"  We  think  she  is  a  music-hall  artiste,"  replied 
Marie.  "  At  least,  that  is  what  the  people  say.  I 
have  not  heard  yet  what  hall  she  appears  in.  They 
say  she  is  very  pretty.  Are  you  going  to  throw 
vitriol  over  her  ?  " 

"Not  I,"  said  Edith,  with  a  fine  scorn.  "Do 
they  live  there  alone  ?  " 

"  Yes,  quite  alone.  They  rent  the  place  from 
Pere  Didon.  He  owns  most  of  the  houses  in  this 
street,  you  know,  and  is  a  regular  skinflint.  He 
won't  let  any  one  get  behind  with  their  rent  for  an 
hour.  He  is  old,  so  old  that  you  would  not  think 
that  he  could  live  another  week,  yet  he  is  that  keen 
after  his  francs  you  would  imagine  he  was  a  young 
man  anxious  to  get  money  for  a  gay  life.  You  ought 
to  have  heard  the  row  here  last  Saturday  when  he 
turned  the  people  out  from  their  rooms  where  your 
lover  now  lives  with  his  mistress.  It  was  terrible. 
There  was  a  poor  woman  with  two  sick  children." 

How  much  further  the  revelations  as  to  Pere 
Didon's  iniquity  might  have  gone,  Miss  Talbot  could 
not  say,  but  at  that  moment  there  came  an  inter- 
ruption. 

From  the  opposite  doorway  appeared  the  figure 
of  Mile.  Beaucaire,  carrying  a  small  bag.  She  was 
followed  by  a  man,  tall,  slight,  and  closely  muffled 


2i8       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

up,  who  shouldered  a  larger  portmanteau.  Edith 
grabbed  both  the  girls,  and  pulled  them  close  to  her 
against  the  closed  door  behind  them. 

"  It  is  he  !  "  she  whispered  tragically.  "  Silence  ! 
Let  us  watch  them  !  " 

The  man  darted  a  suspicious  glance  up  and  down 
the  street.  There  was  no  one  whom  even  the  clever 
Henri  Dubois  could  construe  as  an  enemy — no  one 
save  some  chattering  Marseillais  loitering  around 
their  doorsteps,  and  three  girls  huddled  together 
in  close  conclave  directly  opposite. 

Thus  reassured,  he  strode  after  La  Belle  Chasseuse, 
who  cried  out  impatiently  : 

"  Come  quick,  Henri ;  what  are  you  waiting  for  ?  " 

"  Is  his  name  Henri  ?  "  whispered  the  awe- 
stricken  Marie. 

"  Yes.  Isn't  he  a  villain  ?  I  wonder  where  they 
are  going  now  !  " 

"  Let  us  follow  them  and  see,"  suggested  Marie. 

"  Yes,  let  us  follow  them  and  see,"  chimed  in  the 
other  one,  who  delighted  in  this  nocturnal  romance. 
It  was  a  veritable  page  out  of  one  of  Paul  de  Kock's 
novels. 

The  programme  suited  Miss  Talbot  exceedingly 
well. 

They  strolled  off  down  the  street,  nestling  to- 
gether, Edith  in  the  centre,  and  keeping  the  shrouded 
couple  in  front  well  in  sight.  This  time,  when  Made- 
moiselle Beaucaire  and  her  companion  reached  the 
point  where  the  street  emerged  on  to  the  harbour, 
they  did  not  cross  over  towards  the  broad  and 
brilliantly-lighted  Cannebiere,  but  hurried  on  through 
the  darkness  in  the  direction  of  a  cluster  of  fishing 
smacks  that  lay  alongside  the  Quai  de  Rive  Neuve. 

"  My  faith,  Eugenie ! "  cried  Marie,  "  they 
must  be  going  on  board  one  of  the  vessels." 


"  MARIE  "  219 

'*  What  a  lark  !  "  was  the  answer.  "  I  suppose 
they  fear  you,"  she  added,  turning  her  sharp  eyes 
on  Edith.  "  What  is  your  name  ?  " 

"  Lucille,"  came  the  answer  on  the  spur  of  the 
moment. 

"  Lucille  what  ?  " 

"  Lucille  Beauharnais." 

"  My  gracious  !  "  cried  Eugenie,  "  what  a  swell 
name  !  " 

"  Oh,  let  us  hurry,"  interrupted  Miss  Talbot 
desperately.  "  You  girls  know  everybody.  You 
must  know  all  the  vessels.  If  they  are  going  on  a 
boat  and  you  find  out  the  name  and  number  for  me 
I  will  give  each  of  you  a  whole  louis.  I  will  give  them 
to  you  now — I  mean,  that  is,  if  you  will  walk  with 
me  afterwards  to  my  lodgings." 

Even  amidst  the  exciting  circumstances  surround- 
ing her,  Edith  recognized  the  absolute  necessity 
there  was  to  maintain  the  credibility  of  her  previous 
narrative. 

Unquestionably  Dubois  and  the  lady  intended 
to  embark  on  one  of  the  fishing  boats.  They 
hastened  to  the  further  end  of  the  harbour,  through 
whose  tiny  entrance  Edith  could  now  see  the  dark 
waters  of  the  bay  beyond,  for  the  night  was  beauti- 
fully clear  and  fine,  and  the  bright  stars  of  the  south 
lent  some  radiance  to  the  scene,  when  the  girls 
quitted  the  deep  shadow  of  the  houses. 

A  solitary  boat,  a  decked  fishing-smack  of  some 
forty  tons,  was  lying  by  the  side  of  the  quay,  apart 
from  the  others.  Edith,  who  knew  something  about 
yachting,  recognized  that  her  gearing  was  not 
fastened  in  the  trim  manner  suggestive  of  a 
craft  laid  by  for  the  night.  At  the  same  instant, 
too,  she  caught  sight  of  a  third  form — that  of 
a  man  who  had  been  seated  on  a  fixed  capstan, 


220        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

and  who  now  strode  forward  to  peer  at  the  new 
comers. 

Some  few  words  passed  between  the  three,  but  it 
was  impossible  for  the  girls  to  hear  a  syllable. 
Instantly  the  sailor  assisted  Dubois  and  Mademoiselle 
Beaucaire  to  step  down  from  the  quay  on  board  the 
smack.  He  followed  them,  and  three  other  men, 
who  appeared  out  of  the  chaos  of  sails  and  ropes, 
commenced  to  labour  with  a  large  pole  in  order  to 
shove  the  sturdy  vessel  out  into  the  harbour. 

"  Quick !  "  murmured  Edith,  in  an  agony  lest 
the  opportunity  should  slip.  "  Tell  me  what  vessel 
it  is." 

"  I  think,"  said  Marie,  "  it  is  the  Belles  Sceurs. 
Anyhow,  we  can  easily  make  certain.  All  we  have 
to  do  is  to  go  back  around  the  top  of  the  harbour, 
walk  down  the  Quai  du  Port,  and  watch  her  as  she 
passes  under  the  lighthouse  of  the  Fort  St.  Jean. 
They  will  hoist  her  sail  then  and  we  shall  see  her 
number." 

"  Oh,  come,"  cried  Edith,  "  let  us  run  !  " 

"  We  can  run  if  you  like,"  replied  Marie  coolly, 
"but  there  is  no  need.  They  have  to  get  out  by 
using  the  sweeps,  and  we  will  be  underneath  the 
lighthouse  at  least  a  minute  or  two  before  they  pass, 
even  if  we  walk  slowly." 

Whilst  they  were  talking  the  three  girls  put  their 
words  into  practice,  and  Edith  found  herself  battl- 
ing with  a  logical  dilemma.  Dubois  was  evidently 
escaping  from  France — making  out  from  Mar- 
seilles at  this  late  hour  on  a  vessel  capable  of  sailing 
to  almost  any  point  of  the  Mediterranean. 

What  could  she  do  ?  Was  it  possible  to  invoke 
*he  aid  of  a  policeman  and  get  some  authority  to 
Uail  the  craft  and  order  her  to  return,  or  was  there 
time  to  take  a  cab  in  the  Cannebiere  and  drive 


"  MARIE  "  221 

furiously  to  the  hotel,  where  Brett,  Fairholme,  and 
her  brother  must  be  anxiously  awaiting  her  return  ? 

Rapidly  as  these  alternatives  suggested  them- 
selves, she  dismissed  them.  It  was  best  to  fall  in 
with  Marie's  suggestion  and  ascertain  beyond 
doubt  the  identity  of  the  fishing  smack.  Then,  at 
any  rate,  Brett  would  have  a  tangible  and  definite 
clue. 

So  she  hastened  with  her  companions  along  the 
three  sides  of  the  now  almost  deserted  quay,  and, 
in  accordance  with  the  prediction  of  her  youthful 
guides,  she  reached  the  promenade  beyond  the  small 
lighthouse  of  the  inner  port  before  the  vessel  had 
quitted  the  harbour.  To  move  a  forty-ton  boat 
with  oars  is  a  slow  matter  at  the  best. 

As  the  craft  came  creeping  steadily  through  the 
narrow  channel  Edith  saw,  to  her  great  relief,  that 
two  of  the  men  drew  in  their  sweeps,  and  commenced 
to  haul  upon  ropes  whilst  the  clanking  and  groan- 
ing of  pulleys  heralded  the  slow  rising  of  the  main- 
sail. 

She  thought  the  sail  would  never  climb  up  in 
time,  but  as  it  began  to  yield  to  the  steady  pull  of  the 
men  it  mounted  more  and  more  rapidly,  and  at 
last,  feeling  the  influence  of  a  gentle  breeze  blowing 
off  the  land,  it  shook  out  its  cumbrous  folds  and  the 
number  stood  clearly  revealed  in  huge  white  letters 
on  the  dark  brown  canvas. 

At  first,  in  her  eagerness,  she  could  hardly  discern 
it,  save  a  big  "  M  "  and  an  "  R." 

"  There !  "  cried  Eugenie,  bubbling  over  with 
excitement.  "  There  it  is  !  '  M.R.  107,'  Marseilles, 
No.  107,  you  know.  Why,  isn't  that  Jacques  le 
Bon's  boat  ?  "  she  demanded  from  her  companion. 

"  Yes,  it  is,"  said  Marie  ;  "  and  there  is  Jacques 
himself  standing  by  the  tiller." 


222       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

Edith's  eyes  were  now  becoming  accustomed  to 
the  night  and  the  dancing  water. 

"  Where  are  the  others  ?  "  she  said.  "  I  cannot 
see  them.  There  is  no  one  standing  on  the  deck 
but  the  sailors." 

"  Oh,  they  have  gone  below,  I  expect,"  said  the 
practical  Marie.  "  They  will  be  in  the  way  of  the 
sails,  you  know.  There  is  not  much  room  for  people 
who  don't  work  on  the  deck  of  a  small  ship  like  that. 
Besides,  they  don't  want  to  be  seen.  If  a  customs 
officer  or  a  harbour  official  were  to  notice  the  boat 
now  he  would  think  that  Le  Bon  was  going  out 
fishing  for  the  night,  but  he  would  be  sure  to  wonder 
what  was  happening  if  he  caught  sight  of  a  woman 
on  board.  Funny,  isn't  it,"  she  rattled  on,  "  that 
Jacques  should  be  called  '  Le  Bon,'  for  he  is  the  worst 
man  in  Marseilles  ?  They  say  that  his  ugly  grin 
when  he  draws  a  knife  would  frighten  anybody  I  " 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE  HALL-PORTER'S  DOUBTS 

WHEN  one  o'clock  came  and  Edith  had  not 
arrived,  the  three  men  waiting  in  the  hotel 
made  no  further  effort  to  conceal  their  anxiety.  The 
impetuous  Fairholme  was  eager  to  commence  an 
immediate  search  of  Marseilles,  but  Brett  steadily 
adhered  to  his  resolution  not  to  stir  from  their 
sitting-room  until  either  Miss  Talbot  came  back  in 
person  or  it  became  quite  certain  that  she  was  de- 
tained by  some  other  influence  than  her  own  un- 
fettered volition. 

"  It  may  be,"  he  argued,  "  that  she  will  require 
some  action  on  our  part  the  moment  we  see  her,  and 
nothing  could  be  more  stupid  than  for  the  three  of 
us  to  be  wandering  about  this  great  city  hopelessly 
inquiring  for  a  missing  English  lady,  whilst  she  was 
impatiently  awaiting  our  return  in  the  knowledge 
that  valuable  time  was  being  lost  to  no  purpose. 
What  is  there  to  fear  ?  Miss  Talbot  is  absolutely 
unknown  to  all  the  parties  concerned  in  the  affair. 
Even  if  she  attracted  their  attention,  which  is  im- 
probable, it  is  almost  inconceivable  that  they  should 
connect  her  with  the  search  being  made  for  them. 
The  only  risk  she  runs  is  that  of  insult  by  some  semi- 
intoxicated  reveller,  and  even  in  a  rowdy  city  like 


224       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

this,  it  must  indeed  be  a  strange  locality  in  which 
she  would  be  denied  some  protection.  Of  course 
I  will  be  much  relieved  when  Miss  Talbot  returns, 
but  up  to  the  present  I  see  no  reason  for  undue 
anxiety  on  our  part.  Indeed,  we  ought  to  congratu- 
late ourselves  on  the  fact  that  she  deems  it  necessary 
to  leave  us  for  such  a  long  period.  The  probability 
is  that  she  is  making  highly  important  discoveries 
which  may  tend  materially  to  reduce  the  area  of 
inquiry.'* 

With  this  view  Talbot  could  not  help  concurring, 
so  Fairholme  had  to  content  himself  by  smoking 
many  cigarettes  and  walking  uneasily  about  the 
room.  Sit  down  he  could  not,  whilst  any  casual  ring 
at  the  hotel  door  found  him  leaning  over  the  balus- 
trade of  the  inner  court  and  listening  intently  for 
the  first  words  of  the  new  arrival. 

But  the  Englishmen  were  not  the  only  persons 
in  the  hotel  that  night  whose  composure  was  dis- 
turbed. Their  extraordinary  behaviour  caused  un- 
easiness to  the  manager  and  those  members  of  his 
staff  who  remained  on  duty.  The  facts  disclosed 
by  the  hall-porter  were  certainly  remarkable.  Only 
one  member  of  the  party  had  behaved  in  a  normal 
manner.  Sir  Hubert  Fitzjames,  soon  after  his 
arrival,  went  quietly  to  bed,  but  the  hall-porter's 
report  as  to  the  conduct  of  the  others  was  passing 
strange. 

One  of  them,  to  his  surprise,  had  rung  up  the 
Prefecture  of  Police  in  Paris  on  the  telephone.  The 
others  were  standing  at  the  hotel  door,  gazing  quietly 
enough  at  the  passers-by,  when  suddenly  about 
midnight  much  excitement  rose  amongst  them. 
They  conversed  eagerly  in  their  own  tongue  for  a 
few  moments,  and  the  lady  had  rushed  off  down  the 
street  by  herself,  whilst  her  two  companions 


THE   HALL-PORTER'S   DOUBTS      225 

with  equal  precipitancy  to  join  the  third  in  the 
sitting-room  they  had  engaged,  and  there  they  were 
still  seated  in  moody  expectancy,  apparently  watch- 
ing for  some  dramatic  event  to  happen. 

It  was  time  that  all  good  people  were  in  bed.  But 
it  was  hopeless  to  approach  such  lunatics  with 
questions,  for  they  were  English,  and  no  decent 
Frenchman  could  possibly  hope  to  understand  their 
actions  or  motives.  It  was  satisfactory  that  they 
could  speak  French  well ;  therefore  the  manager 
counselled  the  hall-porter  to  exhibit  patience  and 
prudence.  Moreover,  milords  upstairs  would  be 
sure  to  recompense  him  for  an  enforced  vigil  by  a 
liberal  pourboire. 

At  last,  when  even  the  Cannebiere  was  empty,  and 
when  the  latest  cafe  had  closed  its  doors  and  the  final 
tramcar  had  wearily  jingled  its  way  up  the  hill 
towards  a  distant  suburb,  the  electric  bell  jangled 
a  noisy  summons  to  the  front  door.  It  produced  the 
hall-porter  and  Fairholme  with  remarkable  celerity. 

The  Frenchman  cautiously  opened  the  door  and 
saw  outside  a  muffled-up  female  who  eagerly  de- 
manded admittance.  He  knew  by  her  accent  that 
she  was  not  a  Marseillaise,  but  the  shawl  that  covered 
her  head  and  shoulders  showed  that  she  belonged  to 
the  working  classes. 

"  Whom  do  you  wish  to  see  at  this  hour  ?  "  he 
gruffly  demanded. 

"  I  live  here,"  said  Edith.  "  I  came  here  to-night 
with  my  brother  from  Paris.  Please  let  me  in  at 
once." 

In  her  excitement  and  breathlessness,  for  she  had 
hurried  at  top  speed  from  the  harbour,  Edith  forgot 
that  the  homely  garment  she  adopted  as  a  disguise 
effectually  cloaked  her  from  the  recognition  of  the 
hall-porter  as  from  all  others. 


226        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

Moreover,  her  French  accent  was  too  good.  It 
deceived  the  man  even  more  thoroughly  than  did  the 
shawl. 

"  Oh,  really  now,"  he  said,  "  this  is  for  laughter ! 
A  woman  like  you  staying  at  the  hotel !  Be  off,  or 
I  will  call  a  gendarme." 

In  his  amazement  at  her  demand  he  had  not 
heard  Fairholme's  rapid  approach  behind  him. 
He  was  now  swung  unceremoniously  out  of  the  way 
and  the  earl  jumped  forward  to  seize  Edith  in  his 
arms. 

"  My  darling  girl,"  he  cried,  "  where  have  you 
been  ?  We  almost  gave  you  up  for  lost.  Where  is 
your  hat  ?  Where  did  you  get  that  shawl  ?  "  And 
all  the  time  he  was  hugging  her  so  fiercely  that  it  was 
absolutely  impossible  for  her  to  say  a  single  word. 
At  length  she  disengaged  herself. 

"  Don't  be  so  ridiculous,"  she  said,  "  but  let  me 
come  in  and  close  the  door.  The  hall-porter  will 
think  we  are  cracked." 

She  summarised  the  hall-porter's  sentiments  most 
accurately.  He  explained  the  transaction  to  the 
manager  with  most  eloquent  pantomime,  and  the  two 
marvelled  greatly  at  the  weird  proceedings  of  their 
strange  guests. 

"  Ah,"  said  the  manager  at  length,  "  now  that 
mademoiselle  has  returned,  perhaps  they  will  go  to 
bed." 

At  that  instant  Brett's  voice  was  heard  upon  the 
stairs.  He  wanted  the  telephone  again. 

Edith  had  rapidly  detailed  her  adventures  to  her 
astonished  auditors,  and  Brett  seemed  to  resolve 
on  some  plan  of  action  with  the  lightning  rapidity 
peculiar  to  him. 

Owing  to  the  late  hour  he  got  through  to  Paris 
without  much  difficulty,  and  then  he  returned  to  the 


THE   HALL-PORTER'S   DOUBTS      227 

sitting-room,  where  Edith  was  rehearsing  in  greater 
detail  all  that  had  happened  since  she  left  them  at 
the  hotel  door.  Brett  explained  to  his  companions 
the  motives  of  his  second  telephonic  message. 

"  I  am  convinced,"  he  said,  "  that  Gros  Jean  is  in 
communication  with  his  daughter.  For  this  reason 
I  did  not  wish  the  police  to  put  in  an  appearance  at 
the  Cafe"  Noir  until  to-morrow  night,  or  rather  to- 
night, for  we  have  long  entered  upon  another  day. 
I  wished  to  have  a  reasonable  time  for  quiet  inquiry 
at  Marseilles  before  mademoiselle  could  be  apprised 
of  our  presence  here.  Miss  Talbot's  remarkable 
discovery  has,  however,  wholly  changed  my  plans. 
Mile.  Beaucaire  and  her  lover  have  set  off  for  some 
unknown  destination,  and  the  best  chance  we  have 
of  discovering  it  is  to  secure  the  immediate  arrest  of 
her  father.  Possibly,  being  taken  by  surprise  at 
this  hour  of  the  morning,  some  document  may  be 
found  on  him  which  will  reveal  his  daughter's  desti- 
nation. It  occurs  to  me  that  she  half  expected  him 
to  arrive  by  a  late  train.  Again,  when  the  fishing- 
smack  puts  into  port,  the  girl  will  probably  adopt 
some  method  of  communicating  with  him,  and  that 
communication  must  come  into  our  hands,  not  into 
his.  So  I  have  telephoned  the  police  officials  in 
Paris  to  raid  the  Cabaret  Noir  forthwith,  and  it  is 
possible  that  they  may  report  developments  within 
the  next  two  or  three  hours." 

"  Is  there  no  chance  of  your  discovering  the  where- 
abouts of  that  fishing-smack  ?  "  said  Fairholme. 

"  In  what  way  ?  "  demanded  Brett. 

"  Well,  this  is  a  big  port,  you  know,  and  there  are 
always  tugs  knocking  about  with  steam  up,  on  the 
off-chance  of  their  services  being  required.  Isn't  it 
possible  to  charter  a  steamboat  and  set  off  after  the 
smack  ?  " 


228        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  I  do  not  think  so,"  said  Brett.  "  I  imagine  it 
would  be  wasted  effort.  By  this  time  the  Belles  Sceurs 
is  well  out  to  sea.  She  can  go  in  a  dozen  different 
directions.  She  may  beat  along  the  coast  towards 
Toulon  and  the  Riviera.  She  can  make  towards 
Corsica,  Sardinia,  the  Balearic  Islands,  Spain,  or  the 
mouth  of  the  Rhone.  She  will  certainly  not  show 
any  lights,  and  I  personally  feel  that  although  there 
is,  perhaps,  a  thousand  to  one  chance  we  might  fall 
in  with  her,  it  will  be  far  better  for  our  purpose  to 
remain  quietly  here  and  await  developments  in 
Paris." 

"  Anyhow,"  remarked  Fairholme,  convinced  that 
his  proposal  was  impracticable,  "  it  will  be  an  easy 
matter  for  the  authorities  to  ascertain  the  port  that 
she  arrives  at." 

Brett  shook  his  head  dubiously. 

"  I  have  my  doubts  on  that  point,"  he  said.  "  The 
man  who  has  thus  far  kept  himself  so  easily  ahead 
of  all  pursuers,  and  exhibited  such  a  wealth  of  re- 
source in  his  methods,  may  well  be  trusted  to  cover 
up  his  tracks  effectually.  There  is  even  a  possi- 
bility that  the  Belles  Sceurs  will  never  be  seen  again, 
and  that  her  number  will  long  remain  vacant  on  the 
shipping  register  of  Marseilles.  However,  we  shall 
see." 

"  Then,  Mr.  Brett,"  put  in  Edith  quietly,  with  a 
tired  smile,  "  I  suppose  we  may  go  to  bed  ?  " 

"  Most  certainly,  Miss  Talbot.  You  have  earned 
your  rest  more  than  any  of  us  to-night,"  he  an- 
swered. 

He  held  out  his  hand  to  wish  her  good-night, 
but  she  demanded  with  some  surprise,  "  What 
are  you  going  to  do  ?  Surely  you  want  some 
sleep  ?  " 

"  I  will  remain  here,"  he  said.     "  I  have  bribed 


THE   HALL-PORTER'S   DOUBTS      229 

the  hall-porter  to  keep  awake,  and  I  may  be  wanted 
on  the  telephone  at  any  moment." 

"  Then  I  will  stop  with  you,"  cried  Fairholme. 

"  And  I  too,"  chimed  in  Talbot. 

"  You  will  do  nothing  of  the  sort,"  he  answered 
with  pleasant  insistence.  "  You  will  just  be  off, 
both  of  you,  and  get  some  hours  of  sound  sleep. 
You  may  need  all  your  energy  to-morrow.  Do  not 
be  afraid.  I  will  arouse  you  if  anything  dramatic 
should  happen." 

Left  to  himself,  Brett  again  interviewed  the  hall- 
porter  and  returned  to  the  sitting-room,  where  he 
disposed  himself  for  a  nap  on  the  sofa.  Like  all 
men  who  possess  the  faculty  of  concentrated  thought, 
he  also  cultivated  the  power  of  dismissing  a  per- 
plexing problem  from  his  mind  until  it  became 
necessary  to  consider  it  afresh  in  the  light  of  further 
knowledge. 

Within  five  minutes  he  was  sound  asleep. 

At  length  he  woke  with  a  start.  He  was  stiff  with 
cold,  for  the  fire  had  gone  out,  and  the  tiny  gas  jet 
he  had  left  burning  was  not  sufficient  to  warm  the 
room.  He  sprang  to  his  feet  and  looked  at  his  watch. 
It  was  half-past  six. 

"  Surely,"  he  cried,  "  there  must  have  been  a 
message  from  Paris  long  before  this  !  " 

He  ran  downstairs,  encountering  on  his  way  some 
of  the  hotel  servants,  who  even  thus  early  had  com- 
menced work,  for  your  industrious  Frenchman  is  no 
laggard  in  the  morning.  Going  to  the  hall-porter's 
office  he  found  that  functionary  snoring  peacefully. 
The  poor  fellow  was  evidently  tired  out,  and  twenty 
telephone  bells  might  have  jangled  in  his  ears  with- 
out waking  him. 

So,  for  the  third  time,  Brett  rang  up  the  exchange 
to  get  in  touch  with  Paris.  As  he  had  anticipated, 


230        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

he  quickly  learnt  that  the  Prefecture  had  endeavoured 
to  get  through  to  him  about  4.30  a.m.,  but  the  oper- 
ators were  unable  to  obtain  any  answer. 

"  I  can  hardly  blame  the  man,"  said  he  to  him- 
self, "  for  I  was  just  as  tired  as  he." 

The  intimation  he  received  from  the  Prefecture 
was  startling  enough.  In  accordance  with  his  in- 
structions a  number  of  detectives  had  raided  the 
Cabaret  Noir  soon  after  three  o'clock.  They  found 
the  place  in  possession  of  a  waiter  and  a  couple  of 
female  servants.  Gros  Jean  had  quitted  the  house 
the  previous  evening,  and,  most  astounding  fact  of 
all,  with  him  were  three  Turks. 

Neither  the  waiter  nor  the  domestics  could  give 
any  information  whatever  concerning  the  hidden 
room.  They  knew  of  its  existence,  but  none  of 
them  had  ever  seen  it,  and  the  place  was  generally 
regarded  as  a  sort  of  cellar  for  the  reception  of 
lumber. 

The  police  forced  a  padlock  which  guarded  its 
trap-door,  and  found  to  their  surprise  that  the  place 
was  much  more  spacious  than  they  anticipated.  It 
really  contained  two  apartments,  one  of  which  was 
so  firmly  secured  that  it  had  hitherto  resisted  all 
their  efforts  to  open  it.  The  other  was  a  sort  of  bed- 
sitting-room,  and  it  had  recently  been  occupied. 
From  various  indications  they  came  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  its  latest  tenants  were  Hussein-ul-Mulk 
and  his  confederates. 

Judging  from  the  fact  that  these  gentry  had 
quietly  left  the  caf6  in  Gros  Jean's  company  about 
half-past  seven  the  previous  evening,  they  were  not 
in  confinement  against  their  will.  In  fact,  the  police 
theory  was  that  this  secret  chamber  provided  a  safe 
retreat  for  any  person  who  desired  complete  seclu- 
sion other  than  that  provided  by  the  authorities. 


THE   HALL-PORTER'S   DOUBTS      231 

"  It  is  assumed,"  said  the  officer  who  communi- 
cated this  bewildering  information  to  Brett,  "  that 
the  locked  room  contains  a  quantity  of  stolen  goods. 
The  police  remain  in  charge  of  the  cafe,  and  when 
the  necessary  workmen  have  been  obtained  this 
morning  the  door  will  be  forced.  We  will  at  once 
let  you  know  the  result  of  our  further  investigations." 

"  But  what  about  Gros  Jean  and  the  Turks  ? 
Surely  Paris  cannot  again  have  swallowed  them 
up  ?  "  inquired  Brett. 

"  Every  effort  is  being  made  to  trace  their  where- 
abouts," was  the  reply,  "  but  you  must  remember, 
monsieur,  that  they  had  many  hours'  start  of  the 
police,  and  that  this  period  of  the  day  is  the  most 
difficult  of  the  twenty-four  hours  in  which  to  make 
successful  inquiries.  You  must  rest  assured  that  the 
moment  we  receive  even  the  slightest  clue  we  will 
ring  you  up,  provided,  that  is,  you  arrange  for  some- 
one at  your  end  to  answer  the  telephone." 

"  Oh,"  said  Brett  with  a  laugh,  "  there  is  little 
fear  of  further  delay  in  that  respect.  It  will  be  day- 
light in  another  hour,  and  the  servants  are  already 
busy  about  the  place." 

He  rang  off  and  then  darted  back  to  his  sitting- 
room  to  consult  a  time-table,  for  the  thought  came 
to  him  that  Gros  Jean  and  the  Turks  had  quitted 
the  cafe  in  order  to  reach  Marseilles. 

He  could  not  yet  explain  this  strange  alliance.  It 
was  impossible  to  believe  that  the  innkeeper  would 
betray  his  daughter  to  serve  the  ends  of  a  political 
party.  No  ;  there  must  be  some  other  explanation 
which  the  future  alone  could  reveal. 

He  well  knew  that  the  last  thought  likely  to  occur 
to  the  Paris  police  would  be  to  suspect  the  missing 
men  of  any  desire  to  reach  the  south  coast.  It  was 
with  an  almost  feverish  anxiety  that  he  scrutinized 


232        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

the  pages  of  the  indicateur  des  chemins  de  fer,  and 
he  heaved  a  sigh  of  profound  relief  when  he  dis- 
covered that  the  first  train  Gros  Jean  and  the  Turks 
could  travel  by  left  Paris  the  previous  evening  at 
8.40  p.m.,  and  was  not  due  at  Marseilles  until  8.5^ 
that  morning. 

It  was  now  close  on  seven  o'clock,  so  he  went  to 
his  bedroom,  effected  some  much -needed  changes  in 
his  personal  appearance,  and  then  consumed  an  early 
breakfast  of  coffee  and  rolls.  At  half-past  eight  he 
called  a  carriage  and  was  driven  to  the  railway 
station,  where,  punctually  to  the  minute,  the  Paris 
train  arrived. 

Brett  managed  to  secure  a  favourable  point 
whence  he  could  observe  the  passengers  without 
being  seen,  for  on  the  platform  were  stacked  hun- 
dreds of  baskets  of  fruit  and  vegetables  which  had 
arrived  by  a  local  train. 

There  were  not  many  passengers  in  the  express, 
and  among  the  first  to  alight  were  Gros  Jean  and  the 
three  Turks — Hussein-ul-Mulk  and  the  two  others 
he  had  seen  in  the  Rue  Barbette. 

It  would  be  idle  to  deny  that  the  barrister  ex- 
perienced a  thrill  of  satisfaction  at  his  own  shrewd- 
ness, and  he  smiled  as  he  realized  the  consternation 
of  the  Paris  commissary  when  informed  that  he  had 
so  easily  allowed  the  rogues  to  slip  out  of  the  net. 

The  travellers  were  evidently  tired  after  a  sleep- 
less journey.  Gros  Jean,  being  a  fat  man,  had 
wobbled  about  a  great  deal  during  the  night.  He 
much  needed  the  restorative  effect  of  a  comfortable 
bed ;  whilst  the  Turks,  though  younger  and  more 
active,  also  showed  signs  of  fatigue,  for  this  long 
journey,  in  their  case,  was  a  sequel  to  many  hours 
of  detention  in  an  ill-ventilated  apartment. 

So  they  paid  not  the  slightest  heed  to  their  where- 


THE   HALL-PORTER'S   DOUBTS      233 

abouts,  save  in  so  far  as  to  eye  with  suspicion  a  harm- 
less gendarme  who  happened  to  be  on  the  platform. 

The  policeman,  of  course,  took  no  notice  of  them 
whatever.  Gros  Jean  was  to  him  merely  a  typical 
Frenchman,  whilst  persons  of  dark  complexion  and 
Moorish  appearance  are  everyday  sights  in  the  streets 
of  Marseilles. 

A  diminutive  railway  porter  loitered  near  Brett 
in  the  conceit  that  perhaps  this  well-dressed  stranger 
might  have  felonious  designs  on  the  oranges  and 
cabbages.  His  intense  joy  may  therefore  be  pic- 
tured when  the  barrister  beckoned  to  him,  placed 
a  gold  piece  in  his  hand,  and  said — 

"  You  see  those  Turks  there.  Go  after  them  and 
find  out  where  they  are  going  to.  They  are  sure  to 
take  a  carriage,  as  their  luggage  appears  to  be  some- 
what heavy." 

The  man  darted  off,  secure  in  the  belief  that  no 
one  who  could  afford  to  give  away  twenty  francs  for 
such  trivial  information  would  be  likely  to  pocket  a 
cauliflower.  In  half  a  minute  he  returned. 

"  They  have  all  driven  off  together,  monsieur," 
he  announced  eagerly,  "  and  the  French  gentleman 
first  of  all  inquired  of  the  driver  how  much  he  would 
charge  to  take  them  to  the  Jolies  Femmes.  Two 
francs  was  the  fare,  and  this  was  agreeable,  so  they 
have  gone  there." 

"  I  hope,  in  this  instance,"  said  Brett  gravely, 
"  that  the  Jolies  Femmes  is  the  name  of  a  hotel." 

"  But  certainly,"  replied  the  porter,  elevating  his 
eyebrows  ;  "  what  else  could  it  be  ?  " 

He  meditated  on  this  question  for  five  minutes 
after  Brett's  departure,  and  then  an  idea  struck  him. 

"  Ah,"  he  cried,  slapping  his  thigh  with  a  grin, 
"  he  is  a  droll  dog,  that  Englishman." 

Brett,  secure  in  the  knowledge  that  his  quarry 


234       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

had  been  located,  drove  back  to  his  hostelry.  He 
found  Edith,  Fairholme,  and  Talbot  just  sitting 
down  to  breakfast.  He  joined  them,  and  had  barely 
communicated  his  startling  intelligence  when  Sir 
Hubert  Fitzjames  put  in  an  appearance. 

"  Dear  me,"  said  the  genial  old  soldier,  smiling 
pleasantly  at  the  assembled  party.  "  I  see  you  are 
all  nearly  as  lazy  as  I  have  been  myself.  I  hope 
you  slept  well,  and  enjoyed  a  quiet  night." 

The  burst  of  merriment  which  greeted  this  remark 
not  only  amazed  the  worthy  baronet,  but  startled 
the  other  guests  in  the  dining-room. 

"  That  is  a  strange  thing,"  whispered  a  French- 
man to  his  wife.  "  I  thought  the  English  never 
laughed ! " 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE   YACHT   "BLUE  BELL " 

AFTER  breakfast  the  party  adjourned  to  their 
sitting-room,  and  there  Brett  detailed  his 
immediate  plan  of  action. 

"  The  first  point  to  determine  is  an  important 
one,"  he  said.  "  Which  of  you  three — Sir  Hubert 
Fitzjames,  Talbot,  or  Fairholme — looks  most  like  a 
Frenchman  ?  " 

The  trio  at  once  began  to  scrutinize  each  other 
carefully,  to  Edith's  intense  amusement. 

"  I  am  afraid,  uncle,"  she  laughed,  "  we  must  rule 
you  out  at  once.  You  have  '  British  Major-General, 
late  Indian  Army '  stamped  so  plainly  on  you  that 
here  in  Marseilles,  a  port  accustomed  to  the  weekly 
transit  of  P.  and  O.  passengers,  the  smallest  child 
could  not  fail  to  identify  you.  And  as  for  you, 
Bobby  !  Good  gracious  !  You  are  painfully  Anglo- 
Saxon.  I  am  afraid,  Jack,  that  we  must  decide 
against  you.  That  is  to  say,  I  suppose  it  hurts  your 
vanity  to  be  taken  for  a  Frenchman ;  but  you  must 
not  forget  that  Mademoiselle  Beaucaire  thought  you 
were  good-looking,  and  I  suppose  she  adopts  Pari- 
sian standards." 

Jack  was  amused  by  his  sister's  raillery. 

"  Jt  is  gratifying  to  find,"  he  said,  "  that  there  are 


236        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

some  handsome  Frenchmen.  But  may  I  ask,  Brett, 
why  you  wish  one  of  us  to  haul  down  the  British 
flag?" 

"  Because  it  is  necessary  that  someone  should 
keep  a  close  eye  on  Gros  Jean  and  the  Turks.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  Miss  Talbot  is  doubly  right.  Sir 
Hubert  Fitzjames  might  possibly  be  made  up  to 
represent  un  vieux  moustache,  but  it  is  essential  that 
he  should  speak  French  well." 

"  Then,"  cried  Sir  Hubert  decisively,  "  I  am  out 
of  court,  because  my  French  is  weak,  and  I  always 
want  to  go  off  into  Hindustani  whenever  I  open  my 
mouth.  Why,  even  this  morning,  when  I  rang  for 
my  hot  water,  I  said  to  the  waiter,  '  Gurrum  pani 
lao*  I  am  sure  he  thought  I  was  swearing  at 
him." 

"  Very  well,"  concurred  the  barrister,  "  it  comes 
back  to  you,  Talbot,  and  I  regret  to  inform  you  that 
for  the  next  few  hours  you  must  be  content  with  the 
inferior  cooking  and  accommodation  of  the  Jolies 
Femmes  Hotel.  If  you  will  come  out  with  me  now 
I  will  get  you  rigged  up  in  a  cheap  French  suit. 
That,  and  a  supply  of  bad  cigarettes,  will  provide  a 
sufficient  disguise  for  your  purpose.  You  must 
pack  a  few  belongings  in  a  green  tin  box  and  betake 
yourself  to  the  Julies  Femmes.  Do  not  make  any 
inquiries  about  Gros  Jean.  Simply  watch  him." 

"  But  what  about  the  Turks  ? "  said  Talbot. 
"  Perhaps  two  of  these  scoundrels  may  be  the  iden- 
tical pair  who  accompanied  Dubois  to  Albert  Gate. 
It  is  possible  that  they  may  recognize  me  at  once." 

"  No,"  said  Brett  decisively.  "  This  is  a  different 
gang.  The  two  men  who  committed  the  murders 
never  came  to  Paris.  Dubois  would  not  hear  of  it, 
I  am  certain.  If  you  act  with  discretion,  I  am  sure 
they  will  never  suspect  you." 


THE    YACHT    "BLUE   BELL"        237 

"  Can't  you  find  me  a  job  ?  "  demanded  Fairholme. 

"  Yes,  a  most  pleasant  one.  It  will  be  your  duty 
to  accompany  Miss  Talbot  and  Sir  Hubert,  and  show 
them  the  sights  of  Marseilles.  I  will  meet  you  here 
at  luncheon,  but  we  probably  cannot  see  Mr.  Talbot 
again  until  late  to-night,  when  he  will  have  an  oppor- 
tunity to  come  here  quietly  and  detail  the  results  of 
his  observations.  Of  course,"  he  added,  addressing 
the  young  man  directly,  "  if  anything  important 
happens  during  the  day  you  know  where  to  find  me, 
either  personally  or  by  messenger." 

It  was  natural  that  Edith's  first  steps  with  her 
lover  and  uncle  would  tend  towards  the  scene  of  her 
overnight  adventure.  But  Miss  Talbot  was  a  clear- 
headed girl  and  took  no  risks.  She  knew  well  that 
in  a  chance  encounter  the  sharp  eyes  of  Marie  and 
Eugenie  might  pick  her  out  unless  she  was  to  some 
extent  shrouded  from  observation.  So  she  donned 
a  large  Paris  hat  and  a  smart  costume,  which,  with 
the  addition  of  a  thick  veil,  rendered  her  very  unlike 
the  girl  who  twelve  hours  earlier  was  pursuing  a 
recalcitrant  lover. 

Secure  in  the  changed  appearance  effected  by 
these  garments,  and  especially  in  the  escort  of  two 
such  English-looking  persons  as  Lord  Fairholme  and 
Sir  Hubert  Fitzjames,  she  walked  with  them  down 
the  Cannebiere  and  on  the  quay.  She  showed  them 
the  street  up  which  she  pursued  Mile.  Beaucaire, 
and  the  point  on  the  wharf  whence  the  fishing  smack 
took  her  departure  into  the  unknown. 

Then  they  strolled  back  around  the  harbour,  still 
pursuing  the  track  of  Edith's  midnight  wanderings, 
when  Fairholme  suddenly  whistled  with  amaze- 
ment. 

"  By  Jove,  look  there  ! "  he  cried.  "  That's  a 
piece  of  luck." 


238        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

He  pointed  to  the  upper  part  of  the  basin,  in  which 
a  number  of  smart  yachts  were  anchored  side  by 
side.  Marseilles  is  a  natural  point  of  departure  for 
Mediterranean  tours,  and  many  yacht-owners  send 
their  vessels  there  to  be  coaled  and  stored  for  pro- 
jected trips. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  queried  Edith,  when  she  could 
see  nothing  in  the  locality  indicated  save  the  vessels 
and  the  small  expanse  of  water  dancing  in  the  rays 
of  a  bright  sun. 

"  The  very  best  thing  that  could  have  happened. 
There  is  Daubeney's  yacht,  the  Blue-Bell" 

"  Yes.  So  I  see.  It  would  be  charming  if 
we  had  time  to  go  for  a  run  along  the  Riviera, 
but  I  am  afraid,  whilst  Mr.  Brett  controls  our 
energies,  amusement  of  that  sort  will  be  out  of  our 
reach." 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it.  You  do  not  see  my  point,  Edith. 
Daubeney  is  a  first-rate  chap,  and  a  thorough  sports- 
man. Suppose  it  becomes  necessary  for  us  to  follow 
up  Dubois  and  his  fishing-smack,  and  we  let  Dau- 
beney into  the  know.  The  Blue-Bell  would  pursue 
the  Belles  Sceurs  to  China.  He  would  ask  no  better 
fun.  I  tell  you  that  Brett  will  be  delighted  when  he 
hears  of  it." 

"  Yes,  dear,  but  we  do  not  even  know  that  Mr. 
Daubeney  is  in  Marseilles." 

"  Let  us  go  and  see.  It  doesn't  matter  a  pin  any- 
how, because  a  telegram  from  me  to  him  would  place 
the  yacht  at  our  disposal,  and  he  would  join  us  by 
express  at  the  first  possible  stopping-place.  You 
do  not  know  what  a  good  chap  Daubeney  is." 

"  No,"  said  Edith  shortly.  "  He  is  evidently  a 
most  useful  acquaintance." 

It  is  a  most  curious  fact  that  young  ladies  in  the 
engaged  stage  regard  their  fiance's  male  friends  with 


THE    YACHT    "BLUE   BELL"        239 

extreme  suspicion  ;  the  more  enthusiastic  the  man, 
the  more  suspicious  the  woman. 

Fairholme,  sublimely  unconscious  of  this  feminine 
weakness,  continued  to  dilate  upon  the  superlative 
excellences  of  Daubeney  until  they  reached  the  yacht 
itself. 

A  smartly-attired  sailor  was  pretending  to  find 
some  work  in  carefully  uncoiling  a  rope  which  did 
not  satisfy  his  critical  eye.  Before  Fairholme  could 
hail  the  man,  a  rotund  form,  encased  in  many  yards 
of  blue  serge,  surmounted  by  a  jolly-looking  face 
on  top  of  which  was  perched  an  absurdly  small 
yachting  cap,  emerged  from  the  companion. 

"  Why,  there  he  is,"  shouted  the  earl.  "  Halloa, 
Daubeney  !  Yoicks  !  Tally-ho  !  " 

The  person  addressed  in  this  startling  manner 
stopped  as  though  he  had  been  shot.  He  gazed  at 
the  sky  and  then  gravely  surveyed  the  gilded  statue 
that  surmounts  the  picturesque  church  of  Notre 
Dame  de  la  Garde. 

"  Here  I  am,  you  idiot,"  continued  Fairholme. 
"  I  am  not  in  a  balloon.  I  am  on  the  quay.  Come 
here  quick.  I  want  to  introduce  you  to  Edith  and 
Sir  Hubert." 

Luckily  Miss  Talbot's  dark  doubts  had  vanished 
after  one  keen  glance  at  Daubeney.  He  was  emi- 
nently a  safe  friend  for  her  future  husband.  Such  a 
fat  and  hail-fellow-well-met  individual  could  not 
possibly  harbour  guile.  So  she  passed  over  without 
reference  the  extent  of  Daubeney's  acquaintance 
concerning  herself,  implied  by  the  use  of  her  Chris- 
tian name.  Indeed,  was  there  not  a  compliment 
in  Fairholme's  unconscious  outspokenness  ?  If  he 
only  discussed  her  charms  with  Daubeney  then  Dau- 
beney was  a  man  to  be  cultivated. 

The  meeting  on  the  quay  was  hearty  in  the  ex- 


240        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

treme,  and  the  Honourable  James  Daubeney  further 
ingratiated  himself  by  saying  :  "  Even  if  Lord  Fair- 
holme  had  not  told  me  who  you  were,  Miss  Talbot, 
I  should  have  known  you  at  once." 

"  That  would  be  very  clever  of  you,"  purred  Edith. 

"  Oh,  no,  there  is  nothing  remarkable  in  the  fact, 
I  assure  you.  He  always  sat  in  his  chambers  so 
that  he  could  look  at  your  photograph,  and  as,  in 
addition  to  that  speaking  likeness,  I  know  the  colour 
of  your  hair,  your  eyes,  your  teeth  even,  I  could  not 
be  mistaken." 

Miss  Talbot  thought  Mr.  Daubeney  rather  curious. 
But  still  he  was  very  nice,  and  unquestionably  the 
services  of  the  Blue-Bell  might  be  more  than  useful. 

So  she  was  graciousness  personified  in  her  manner, 
and  promptly  determined  to  invite  him  to  luncheon, 
thinking  that  the  chance  direction  of  their  conver- 
sation with  Mr.  Brett  might  lead  towards  the  use  of 
the  yacht  being  hinted  at. 

She  counted  without  Fairholme.  The  latter 
slapped  his  heavy  friend  on  the  back. 

"  Look  here,  old  chap,  are  you  fixed  up  for  a 
cruise  ?  Plenty  of  coal,  champagne,  and  all  that 
sort  of  thing  ?  " 

"  Loaded  to  the  gunwales." 

"  That's  all  right,  because  we  may  want  the  Blue- 
Bell  for  a  month  or  so." 

**  There  she  is,"  said  Daubeney ;  "  fit  to  go  any- 
where and  do  anything." 

Miss  Talbot  had  never  heard  such  extraordinary 
conduct  in  her  life.  She  wondered  how  two  women 
would  have  conducted  the  negotiations.  The 
question  was  too  abstruse,  so  she  gave  it  up  and 
contented  herself  instead  with  accepting  Dau- 
beney's  hearty  request  that  they  should  inspect 
the  yacht. 


THE    YACHT    "BLUE   BELL*        241 

The  Blue-Bell  was  an  extremely  smart  little 
ship  of  250  tons  register,  and  an  ordinary  speed  of 
twelve  knots.  Incidentally  Miss  Talbot  dis- 
covered that  the  owner  made  the  vessel  his  home. 
He  was  never  happy  away  from  her,  and  the  Blue- 
Bell  was  known  to  every  yachtsman  from  the 
Hebrides  to  the  Golden  Horn. 

To  eke  out  her  coal  supply  she  was  fitted  with 
sails,  and  Daubeney  assured  his  fair  visitor  that 
the  Blue-Bell  could  ride  out  a  gale  as  comfortably 
and  safely  as  any  craft  afloat.  Altogether  Miss 
Talbot  congratulated  herself  on  Fairholme's  dis- 
covery, and  she  could  not  help  hoping  that  their 
strange  errand  to  Marseilles  might  eventuate  in  a 
Mediterranean  chase. 

When  the  tour  of  inspection  had  ended  Daubeney 
suggested  an  excursion. 

"  I  understand  you  have  never  been  to  Mar- 
seilles before,  Miss  Talbot.  In  that  case,  what  do 
you  say  if  we  run  over  and  see  the  Chateau  d'lf — 
the  place  that  Dumas  made  famous,  you  know  ?  " 

"  Is  it  far  ?  "  said  Edith. 

"  Oh,  not  very ;  about  a  mile  across  the  harbour. 
Monte  Cristo  swam  the  distance,  you  know,  after 
his  escape." 

"  Shall  we  go  in  the  yacht  ?  " 

Daubeney  bubbled  with  laughter. 

"  Well,  not  exactly,  Miss  Talbot.  You  cannot 
swing  a  ship  of  this  size  about  so  easily  as  all  that, 
you  know.  I  have  another  craft  alongside  that 
will  suit  our  purpose." 

He  whistled  to  a  tiny  steam  launch  which  Edith 
had  not  noticed  before,  and  without  further  ado 
the  party  seated  themselves.  They  sped  rapidly 
down  the  harbour  and  out  through  the  narrow 
entrance  between  the  lighthouses. 

Q 


242        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

No  sooner  did  Edith  behold  the  splendid  pano- 
rama of  rocky  coast  that  encloses  the  great  outer 
bay,  with  its  blue  waters  studded  with  delightful 
little  islands,  through  which  fishing  boats  and 
small  steam  tugs  threaded  their  way  towards 
different  points  on  the  coast,  than  she  clapped  her 
hands  with  schoolgirl  delight. 

"  I  hai  no  idea,"  she  cried,  "  that  Marseilles  was 
half  so  beautiful.  Why,  it  is  a  wonderful  place. 
I  have  always  read  about  it  being  hot  and  dirty. 
It  certainly  is  untidy,  but  to  wash  its  citizens  would 
take  away  all  the  romance  !  As  for  the  climate 
being  hot,  just  imagine  a  day  like  this  in  the  middle 
of  November.  Can  you  possibly  think  what  the 
sensation  would  be  if  you  were  plunged  into  a 
London  fog  at  this  moment,  Mr.  Daubeney  ?  " 

"  I  have  hardly  ever  seen  one,"  he  replied.  "  I 
take  mighty  good  care  to  be  far  removed  from  my 
beloved  country  during  the  fog  season." 

She  sighed.  "  What  it  is  to  be  a  man  and  to 
be  able  to  roam  about  the  world  unfettered." 

"  It  all  depends  upon  the  meaning  of  the  word 
'unfettered,'"  said  Daubeney.  "Have  you  got 
any  sisters,  Miss  Talbot  ?  " 

They  all  laughed  at  this  inconsequent  question. 
It  was  impossible  to  resist  Daubeney's  buoyant 
good  nature,  and  Edith  felt  certain  that  in  half  an 
hour  she  would  be  calling  him  "  Jimmy." 

They  sped  across  the  waves  towards  the  Chateau 
d'lf,  and  drew  up  alongside  its  small  landing-stage. 

The  island  supplies  an  all-the-year-round  resort 
for  the  townspeople.  Every  fine  day  a  steamer 
runs  at  intervals  to  and  fro  between  it  and  the  inner 
harbour.  The  good  folk  of  the  south  of  France, 
whether  MarseiUais  or  visitors  to  the  city,  find  a 
constant  delight  in  taking  the  short  marine  excur- 


THE    YACHT    "BLUE   BELL"        243 

sion  and  -wandering  for  half  an  hour  about  the  rocky 
pathways  and  steep  turrets  of  the  famous  prison, 
whilst  they  listen  with  silent  awe  to  the  words  of 
the  guide  when  he  tells  them  how  the  Abbe  died, 
and  shows  them  the  hole  between  the  two  walls 
excavated  by  Monte  Cristo.  So  the  English  visitors 
found  themselves  in  the  midst  of  a  number  of 
laughing,  light-hearted  French  sightseers. 

They  wandered  round  with  the  crowd  until 
Edith  looked  at  her  watch. 

"  It  is  past  twelve  o'clock,"  she  said.  "  Should 
we  not  be  going  back  to  the  hotel  to  lunch  ?  You 
will  come  with  us,  of  course,  Mr.  Daubeney  ?  " 

"  I  am  famished  with  expectation,"  answered 
the  irrepressible  Jimmy,  "  but  before  we  go  away 
you  certainly  ought  to  climb  to  the  leads  and  get 
the  panoramic  view  of  the  harbour  which  the 
tower  affords  on  a  clear  day.  It  is  a  sight  to  be 
remembered,  I  promise  you." 

So  they  made  the  ascent,  Daubeney  leading  in 
his  capacity  of  guide,  though  he  was  quite  breath- 
less when  they  reached  the  top  of  the  steps. 

Edith  followed  him,  and  to  her  alarm  perceived 
that  he  was  purple  in  the  face.  He  tried  to  smile, 
and  indicated  by  a  gesture  that  he  would  recover 
in  a  minute.  Meanwhile  he  was  speechless. 

Fairholme  was  the  next  up.  He  had  hardly 
set  foot  on  the  roof  before  he  exclaimed — 

"  Well,  I'm  d d ! " 

Edith  turned  round  quickly. 

"  What  on  earth  is  the  matter  ?  "  she  cried. 
"  Why  are  you  using  such  horrid  language  ?  Mr. 
Daubeney  only  hurried  a  little  too  fast,  that  is  all." 

Fairholme  dropped  his  voice  to  a  whisper. 

"  Look,"  he  said,  indicating  with  his  eyes  a  dis- 
tant corner. 


244        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

Edith  followed  his  glance,  and  instantly  compre- 
hended the  cause  of  his  startled  exclamation.  For 
in  that  quiet  spot,  far  removed  from  watchful 
police  or  inquisitive  hotel  servants,  stood  four  men. 
whom  she  could  not  fail  to  recognize  as  Gros  Jean, 
Hussein-ul-Mulk,  and  the  other  two  Turks,  although, 
of  course,  until  this  moment  she  had  never  pre- 
viously set  eyes  on  them. 

She  instantly  understood  that  they  must  con- 
tinue to  talk  and  act  in  the  guise  of  ordinary  tourists. 
In  this  respect  the  presence  of  Daubeney  was  in- 
valuable, for  he  naturally  could  not  guess  the  com- 
munity of  interest  between  his  aristocratic  friends 
and  the  motley  group  in  the  corner. 

As  soon  as  he  regained  his  breath,  Edith  and  he 
commenced  a  lively  conversation.  Sir  Hubert 
joined  them,  and  in  the  course  of  then-  casual  stroll 
round  the  tower  they  passed  close  to  the  French- 
men and  his  companions,  attracting  a  casual  glance 
from  the  former,  who  instantly  set  them  down  as 
English  people  bound  for  the  East,  and  whiling 
away  a  few  hours  in  Marseilles  prior  to  the  depar- 
ture of  their  steamer. 

But  another  surprise  awaited  them. 

A  small  staircase  led  to  the  top  of  the  turret, 
which,  as  already  described,  formed  part  of  the 
angle  tha*.  sheltered  the  group  of  men. 

When  Edith  and  the  others  strolled  past  the 
door  they  glanced  inside  and  caught  sight  of  a 
shabby-looking  Frenchman,  who  had  paused  half- 
way up  the  stairs,  and  was  leaning  eagerly  forward 
through  an  embrazured  loophole,  obviously  intent 
on  hearing  every  word  uttered  by  the  quartette 
beneath. 

Fortunately  Edith,  who  was  nearest  to  the  door, 
was  completely  shrouded  from  Gros  Jean's  ob- 


THE    YACHT    "BLUE    BELL"        245 

servation.  Else  that  astute  gentlemen  might  have 
noticed  her  involuntary  start  of  surprise.  For  the 
shabby-looking  Frenchman  was  her  brother. 

The  instant  Talbot  heard  footsteps  he  naturally 
turned  to  see  who  it  was  that  approached,  and  he 
also  was  amazed  to  find  Edith's  wondering  eyes 
fixed  upon  him  at  a  distance  of  only  a  few  feet. 

She  nodded  her  head  and  placed  a  warning 
finger  upon  her  lips.  As  it  happened,  Daubeney 
caught  her  in  the  act,  and  for  the  next  few  moments 
that  gentleman's  emotions  were  intense,  not  to  say 
painful. 

"  Who  would  have  thought  it  ?  "  he  muttered 
to  himself.  "  A  girl  like  her  making  secret  signs 
to  a  dirty  scoundrel  of  that  sort.  The  beggar  was 
good-looking,  of  course  ;  but  what — well,  I  give 
it  up.  Poor  old  Fairholme  !  What  funny  creatures 
women  are,  to  be  sure !  " 

How  much  further  this  soliloquy  might  have 
proceeded  he  knew  not,  for  Edith  sharply  inter- 
rupted his  thoughts. 

"  You  seem  to  be  preoccupied,  Mr.  Daubeney. 
What  has  happened  ?  "  she  inquired. 

"  I— I— really  don't  know." 

His  distress  was  so  unmistakable  that  her  quick 
woman's  wit  divined  the  true  cause.  They  had 
now  sauntered  some  distance  away  from  the  part 
of  the  tower  that  might  be  marked  "  dangerous," 
so  she  grasped  Jimmy's  ponderous  arm,  and  whis- 
pered with  a  delightful  smile — 

"  You  saw  me  make  signs  to  that  Frenchman, 
didn't  you  ?  " 

"  Well— er— I— er " 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  understand.  Of  course  you  were 
surprised.  But  don't  jump  now,  or  say  anything ; 
he  is  my  brother  !  " 


246        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

She  need  not  have  warned  Daubeney  as  to  any 
remarks  he  might  feel  inclined  to  make,  for  her 
announcement  again  rendered  him  speechless. 

"  It  is  a  mystery,"  she  whispered,  "  a  deep 
secret.  We  will  tell  you  all  about  it  at  lunch." 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

TALBOT'S  ADVENTURES 

A  LTHOUGH  Miss  Talbot  spoke  so  confidently 
jf~\_  of  revelations  to  accompany  the  expected 
meal,  it  is  idle  to  pretend  that  any  of  the  three 
people  who  were  cognizant  of  Talbot's  mysterious 
appearance  on  the  island  betrayed  undue  haste 
to  return  to  the  waiting  lunch. 

Sublimely  unconscious  of  the  excitement  raging 
in  their  breasts,  Sir  Hubert  Fitzjames  could  not 
understand  why  they  each  and  all  answered  him 
in  such  a  flurried  manner  when  he  dilated  upon 
the  beauties  of  the  bay.  Finally  he  turned  to  Edith 
with  an  air  of  apprehension. 

"  I  fear,"  he  said,  "  that  your  expedition  of  last 
night  has  upset  you.  Have  you  a  headache  ?  " 

Then  she  could  contain  her  news  no  longer. 
Drawing  him  close  to  the  rampart,  and  bending 
down  so  as  to  apparently  take  a  deep  interest  in 
the  laughing  excursionists  beneath,  she  mur- 
mured— 

"  Listen  to  me  carefully,  uncle.  Don't  look 
around.  Have  you  noticed  the  party  of  Turks 
and  a  Frenchman  grouped  together  in  the  opposite 
corner  ?  " 

SIT 


248        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  Yes,"  he  said.  "  You  do  not  mean  to  tell  me 
that  they  are  the  people  whom  Mr.  Brett  met  this 
morning  at  the  station  ?  " 

"  Yes,  unquestionably  they  are.  Had  your 
attention  not  been  otherwise  taken  up  you  must 
have  recognized  them  from  their  description.  But 
the  most  marvellous  thing  remains.  You  know 
the  little  turret  close  to  which  they  are  standing  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Well,  in  the  staircase  leading  to  the  top,  and 
leaning  out  through  a  window,  trying  to  hear  what 
they  are  saying,  is  Jack  !  " 

"  What  an  extraordinary  thing,"  said  the  major- 
general,  who  was  really  very  annoyed  that  such 
a  meeting  should  have  taken  place  under  his  very 
nose  and  its  significance  remain  hidden  from  him. 

"  Can  we  do  anything  ?  "  he  added. 

"  Nothing  save  to  remain  here  a  little  longer 
and  be  most  careful  not  to  appear  to  have  the  least 
knowledge  of  their  identity.  I  have  told  you  lest 
we  might  chance  to  meet  Jack  face  to  face,  and 
you  should  be  taken  by  surprise  if  you  recognized 
him." 

"  Is  he  in  disguise,  then  ?  "  gasped  her  uncle. 

"  Yes,  in  a  sense.  Mr.  Talbot  has  put  him  into 
a  sort  of  French  working-man's  holiday  suit.  He 
looks  so  odd,  but  it  is  evident  that  neither  Gros 
Jean  nor  the  Turks  have  the  least  suspicion  of  his 
presence.  It  was  very  clever  of  Jack  to  get  into 
that  turret  without  alarming  them." 

They  were  joined  by  Daubeney  and  Fairholme, 
and  Edith  knew  by  a  single  glance  at  the  expres- 
sive expanse  of  the  former's  face  that  should  he 
be  again  brought  into  close  proximity  to  the  Turks 
and  her  brother  it  was  quite  possible  the  quick- 
witted Gros  Jean  might  detect  the  look  of  inter- 


TALBOrS   ADVENTURES  249 

ested  amazement  which  must  inevitably  appear 
upon  his  honest  British  countenance. 

"  Bobby,"  she  said  at  once,  "  I  want  you  and 
Mr.  Daubeney  to  go  down  to  the  launch  and  await 
us  there.  We  will  join  you  in  a  few  minutes." 

"  Certainly,"  was  the  reply,  for  Fairholme  knew 
that  some  motive  lay  behind  the  request.  "  You 
cannot  do  much  by  remaining  here,  can  you,  so  I 
suppose  you  will  not  be  long  ?  " 

"  No  ;  uncle  and  I  will  survey  the  view  until  it 
is  firmly  fixed  in  our  minds.  After  that  it  is  full 
steam  ahead  for  the  Hotel  du  Louvre." 

The  two  young  men  disappeared  down  the  stairs 
leading  to  the  courtyard.  On  their  way  they  en- 
countered a  number  of  holiday  makers,  climbing 
to  the  top  of  the  tower.  In  they  came,  twenty  or 
more  of  them,  and  promptly  spread  themselves 
around  the  walls,  the  Marseillais  amongst  them 
indicating  to  their  country  cousins  points  of  in- 
terest in  the  city  and  along  the  coast. 

At  this  moment,  too,  the  siren  of  the  small 
pleasure  steamer  at  the  quay  announced  she  was 
about  to  make  her  hourly  trip  back  to  the  town. 
Whereupon  Gros  Jean  and  the  Turks,  having  appar- 
ently ended  their  consultation,  crossed  the  roof 
and  disappeared  down  the  staircase. 

Instantly  Jack  Talbot  strolled  after  them,  but 
no  sooner  had  the  bulky  form  of  Gros  Jean — 
who  was  the  last  of  his  party — vanished  than 
Talbot  ran  towards  his  uncle  and  sister,  and  said 
rapidly — 

"  Dubois  and  the  girl  have  gone  to  Palermo. 
Gros  Jean  and  the  Turks  have  been  in  communica- 
tion with  the  Sultan,  and  there  is  a  movement  on 
foot  to  buy  back  the  diamonds.  That  is  all  that 
I  can  tell  you  now,  but  let  Mr.  Brett  know.  When 


250       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

I  have  seen  these  chaps  safely  home,  I  will  at  once 
come  to  the  hotel.'* 

Then  he,  too,  vanished. 

Edith  felt  a  thrill  of  elation  that  her  good  judg- 
ment should  have  led  her  to  remain  sufficiently 
long  on  the  tower  to  glean  such  important  infor- 
mation. 

When  Brett  heard  the  news  it  seemed  to  annoy 
him. 

"  I  feared  as  much,"  he  said.  "  I  had  not  much 
faith  in  the  patriotism  of  the  Young  Turks.  I 
wonder  how  much  the  Sultan  has  offered.  It 
must  be  a  severe  wrench  for  him  to  dip  his  hands 
into  his  money-bags,  and  Dubois  will  certainly 
demand  a  handsome  figure  before  he  disgorges  his 
booty.  However,  we  must  possess  our  souls  in 
peace  until  Talbot  comes  here  and  tells  us  all  what 
he  has  learnt.  At  this  moment  I  cannot  help 
marvelling  at  the  strange  coincidence  which  should 
have  led  the  Turks  and  yourself  to  select  the 
Chateau  d'lf  for  a  morning  stroll.  I  fully  expected 
that  Gros  Jean  would  be  in  bed.  He  must  have 
received  some  startling  intelligence  to  keep  him 
away  from  his  rest  after  a  long  journey.  Mean- 
while, I  have  not  been  idle." 

Everyone  awaited  with  interest  his  next  words, 
for  Brett  seldom  made  such  a  remark  without 
having  something  out  of  the  common  to  com- 
municate. 

"  I  telephoned  to  Paris,"  he  explained,  "  to  tell 
the  Prefecture  that  Gros  Jean  and  the  Turks  had 
arrived  at  Marseilles.  The  police  were  surprised, 
and  perhaps  a  little  sore,  that  they  had  not  dis- 
covered the  fact  for  themselves,  but  when  I  soothed 
them  down  they  informed  me  that  '  Le  Ver ' — the 
diminutive  scoundrel  whom  we  rescued  from  the 


TALBOTS   ADVENTURES  251 

Rue  Barbette — had  faithfully  kept  his  appoint- 
ment with  me  at  the  Grand  Hotel  yesterday. 

"  It  seems  that  he  was  much  upset  when  he 
learnt  that  I  had  left.  He  went  straight  to  the 
commissary  to  inform  him  that,  contrary  to  ex- 
pectations, the  Turks  were  acting  in  complete 
accord  with  mademoiselle's  father.  This  natur- 
ally puzzled  the  commissary  a  good  deal,  and  the 
affair  became  still  stranger  when  an  attache  from 
the  Turkish  Embassy  called  a  little  later  and  urged 
the  police  to  do  all  in  their  power  to  discover  the 
whereabouts  of  Hussein-ul-Mulk,  as  he  was  particu- 
larly anxious  to  have  a  friendly  talk  with  him. 

"  Close  on  the  heels  of  the  Turk  came  a  con- 
fidential messenger  from  the  British  Embassy, 
requesting  the  latest  details,  and,  when  questioned 
by  the  commissary,  this  man  admitted  that  he 
had  in  the  first  instance  called  to  see  me  at  the 
Grand  Hotel. 

"  In  a  word,  Miss  Talbot,  I  had  suspected  the 
existence  of  the  negotiations,  which  your  brother's 
smart  piece  of  work  this  morning  has  confirmed." 

Whilst  they  were  talking  Fairholme  took  Dau- 
beney  on  one  side,  and  with  Brett's  permission 
gave  him  a  detailed  account  of  the  whole  affair. 

The  Honourable  James  Daubeney  was  delighted 
to  be  mixed  up  in  this  international  imbroglio. 
He  told  the  earl  that  the  Blue-Bell  was  at  his  dis- 
posal at  any  moment  of  the  day  or  night  she  might 
be  required.  Indeed,  he  forthwith  excused  him- 
self on  the  ground  that  certain  little  formalities 
were  requisite  before  he  could  clear  the  harbour, 
and  he  must  hurry  off  to  attend  to  these  imme- 
diately. 

"  I  tell  you  what,"  he  added,  with  his  hand  on 
the  door,  "  I  will  come  back  and  dine  with  you,  if 


252        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

I  may,  at  half -past  seven,  because  I  shall  not  sleep 
to-night  until  I  hear  how  things  are  going  on.  But 
I  promise  you,  if  I  meet  a  single  Turk  between  here 
and  the  harbour,  I  will  cross  over  to  the  other  side 
of  the  street." 

No  one  quite  knew  what  he  meant  by  this  por- 
tentous guarantee,  but  it  was  evident  that  Dau- 
beney,  if  nothing  else,  was  a  man  of  action,  and 
his  yacht  might  become  very  useful. 

He  had  hardly  quitted  the  hotel  when  a  waiter 
announced  that  a  jeune  Franfais  wished  to  see 
Mr.  Brett. 

"  Show  him  up,"  said  the  barrister,  and  a  moment 
later  Talbot  entered.  He  stood  near  the  door 
twiddling  his  hat  in  his  hand  until  the  waiter  had 
gone.  Then  he  told  them  what  had  happened 
since  he  took  up  his  quarters  at  the  Hotel  des  Jolies 
Femmes. 

"  When  I  reached  there,"  he  said,  "  I  was  under 
the  impression  that  Gros  Jean  and  the  Turks  were 
in  bed.  I  hired  my  room ;  sent  my  tin  box  there, 
and  then  settled  myself  in  the  cafe  to  smoke  cigar- 
ettes and  read  these  vile  Marseilles  newspapers 
until  lunch  time.  You  may  judge  my  surprise 
when  I  saw  the  three  Turks  and  Gros  Jean  come 
out  into  the  street  and  ask  a  waiter  the  way  to  the 
post-office. 

"  They  set  off,  and,  being  sure  of  their  destina- 
tion, I  did  not  quit  the  cafe  myself  until  they  were 
well  out  of  sight.  Then  I  walked  away  in  the  same 
direction,  inquired  of  a  policeman  the  quickest 
way  to  reach  the  post-office,  and  stepped  out 
rapidly. 

"  I  had  not  gone  far  when  I  overtook  them. 
They  reached  the  building.  The  Turks  remained 
in  the  street  and  Gros  Jean  went  inside,  so  I  fol- 


TALBOTS   ADVENTURES  253 

lowed  him,  and  found  him  inquiring  for  letters  at 
the  Poste  Restante  department.  Whereupon  I 
sent  a  telegram  to  London." 

"  Who  on  earth  did  you  telegraph  to,  Jack  ?  " 
broke  in  Edith. 

"  To  my  shirt-maker,  telling  him  to  put  a  couple 
of  dozens  in  hand  at  once." 

This  unexpected  answer  evoked  a  general 
titter. 

"  The  funny  thing  to  me,"  said  Talbot,  "  was 
the  effect  of  the  message  on  the  telegraph  clerk. 
He  could  evidently  read  English,  and  he  surveyed 
me  curiously,  for  in  my  present  appearance  I  looked 
a  most  unlikely  person  to  order  shirts  by  telegram 
from  a  well-known  London  house.  However,  I 
achieved  my  purpose,  which  was  to  overhear  Gros 
Jean's  request.  He  asked  if  there  were  any  letters 
for  M.  Isidor  de  Rion." 

"  Good  gracious,"  cried  Edith,  "  what  an  aris- 
tocratic name  for  that  fat  man." 

"  Anyhow,  it  was  effective.  There  was  a  letter 
for  him,  and  he  evidently  only  expected  one,  for, 
before  the  clerk  who  handed  it  to  him  was  able  to 
examine  the  remainder  of  the  packet,  he  tore  it  open, 
glanced  briefly  at  its  contents,  and  then  hurried  out 
to  join  his  friends  hi  the  street.  After  a  short  con- 
clave they  entered  a  cafe  and  procured  a  railway 
guide.  I  tried  hard  to  find  out  what  section  of  the 
book  Gros  Jean  was  looking  at,  but  failed,  for  the 
double  reason  that  he  did  not  consult  the  Turks,  nor 
did  he  seem  to  make  up  his  mind,  for  he  looked 
through  the  book,  sighed  impatiently  and  suggested 
to  the  others  that  they  should  go  out  again.  I 
followed  them  into  the  Cannebiere,  and  thence  down 
towards  the  harbour.  When  we  reached  the  quay 
a  small  pleasure  steamer  was  whistling  for  passen- 


254       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

gers,  and  a  placard  announced  a  fifty-centimes  re* 
turn  trip  to  the  Chateau  d'If. 

"  Seemingly  on  the  spur  of  the  moment,  Gros 
Jean  invited  the  others  to  accompany  him.  It 
probably  occurred  to  him  that  the  island  would  sup- 
ply a  safe  nook  in  which  they  could  talk  without  fear 
of  observation,  as  their  presence  on  board  the  steamer 
would  stamp  them  as  excursionists.  So,  of  course, 
I  followed  them.  When  we  reached  the  island,  I 
quickly  perceived  that  the  castle  filled  the  whole  of 
it.  Therefore,  in  place  of  keeping  behind  them 
I  went  in  front.  We  all  passed  on  with  the  stream 
of  sightseers  until  we  reached  the  courtyard.  I  had 
never  been  in  the  place  before,  but  Gros  Jean  seemed 
to  know  it  well.  Owing  to  my  policy  of  preceding 
them  I  found  myself  halted  for  a  moment  at  the  foot 
of  the  stairs  leading  to  the  tower.  It  struck  me  that 
the  Frenchman  was  making  in  this  direction,  so  I 
took  the  chance  and  ran  up.  I  reached  the  top  and 
looked  over  before  the  party  had  entered  the  door- 
way at  the  bottom.  They  came  in.  Thus  far  I  was 
right.  I  looked  around,  and  found,  as  you  know, 
the  square  roof  surrounded  by  bare  battlements 
with  a  turret  in  one  corner.  I  decided  instantly 
that  it  would  be  hopeless  to  try  to  get  close  to  them 
if  they  halted  at  any  other  point  save  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  turret.  Elsewhere  I  must  remain  too  far 
away  to  catch  any  portion  of  their  conversation. 
So  I  darted  across  and  entered  the  turret,  noting  on 
my  way  up  the  stairs  the  existence  of  the  loopholed 
window  where  you  finally  saw  me.  It  would  never 
do  to  be  caught  there,  so  I  went  to  the  top  and 
peeped  over.  You  can  guess  how  delighted  I  was 
when  they  came  straight  across  and  settled  them- 
selves in  the  angle  beneath.  Then  I  crept  halfway 
down  the  stairs  and  leaned  as  far  as  I  dared  through 


TALBOTS   ADVENTURES  255 

the  loophole,  being  just  in  time  to  hear  Gros  Jean 
read  a  letter  from  his  daughter.  Fortunately  the 
innkeeper  had  to  speak  plainly,  as  his  companions 
were  foreigners,  and  for  the  same  reason  I  had  no 
difficulty  in  catching  the  drift  of  what  the  Turks 
said. 

"  The  letter  was  quite  short.  It  told  him  that  H. 
had  decided  to  leave  France,  and  had  made  arrange- 
ments to  proceed  at  once  to  Palermo,  whither  the 
writer  would  accompany  him. 

"  One  sentence  I  remember  exactly :  '  H.,'  she 
wrote,  '  has  friends  in  Sicily,  and  he  feels  assured  of  a 
kind  reception  at  their  hands.' ' 

"  Friends  !  "  interrupted  Brett.  "  That  means 
brigands !  " 

"  The  information  seemed  to  annoy  the  Turks  very 
much.  They  were  very  angry  at  what  they  de- 
scribed as  the  enforced  delay,  and  discussed  with 
Gros  Jean  the  quickest  means  of  reaching  Palermo 
forthwith.  Then  he  told  them  that  he  had  en- 
deavoured to  find  out  the  trains  running  through 
Italy  to  Messina,  but  they  could  not  leave  Mar- 
seilles until  to-night,  and  he  thought  it  best  that 
they  should  have  a  quiet  talk  on  the  situation  before 
deciding  too  hurriedly  upon  any  line  of  action. 

"  The  rest  of  their  conversation  was  inconsequent 
and  desultory,  alluding  evidently  to  some  project 
which  they  had  fully  discussed  before.  But  it 
is  quite  clear  from  the  drift  of  their  remarks  that 
an  emissary  from  the  Sultan  had  approached  Hus- 
sein-ul-Mulk,  and  had  offered  such  terms  for  the 
recovery  of  the  diamonds  that  not  only  were  the 
Young  Turkish  party  in  Paris  eager  to  compromise 
with  him,  but  they  had  succeeded  in  convincing  Gros 
Jean  that  Dubois  also  would  be  likely  to  accept 
the  proposition." 


256        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

Brett  smiled  grimly.  "  The  commissary  in  Paris 
always  follows  up  the  wrong  person,"  he  said.  "  Had 
he  only  used  his  wits  yesterday  morning  he  would 
have  discovered  that  the  agent  of  the  Embassy  was 
in  touch  with  Hussein-ul-Mulk.  Hence  the  pres- 
ence of  the  quartette  in  Marseilles  to-day." 

Talbot  was  naturally  mystified  by  this  remark 
until  Brett  explained  to  him  the  circumstances 
already  known  to  the  reader. 

"  Was  there  anything  else  ?  "  inquired  the  bar- 
rister, reverting  to  the  chief  topic  before  them. 

"  Only  this.  I  gathered  that  Gros  Jean  did  not 
know  his  daughter's  whereabouts  in  Marseilles, 
but  she  had  arranged  that  if  circumstances  necessi- 
tated her  departure  from  the  town  she  would  leave 
a  letter  for  him  in  the  Poste  Restante,  giving  him 
full  details.  Nevertheless,  this  presupposes  the 
knowledge  on  her  part  that  he  would  come  to  Mar- 
seilles, so  I  assume  therefore  that  telegrams  must 
have  passed  between  them  yesterday  afternoon." 

"  Obviously  !  "  said   Brett.     "  Anything  else  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  and  now  Talbot's  voice  took  a  note  of 
passion  that  momentarily  surprised  his  hearers. 
"  It  seems  to  me  that  this  underhanded  arrange- 
ment, if  it  goes  through,  condones  the  murder  of 
poor  Mehemet  Ali  and  his  assistants,  and  places  on 
me  the  everlasting  disgrace  of  having  permitted  this 
thing  to  happen  whilst  an  important  and  special 
mission  was  entrusted  to  my  sole  charge  by  the 
Foreign  Office.  Dubois  has  been  able  to  commit 
his  crime,  get  away  with  the  diamonds,  hoodwink 
all  of  us  most  effectually,  and,  in  the  result,  obtain 
a  huge  reward  from  the  Turkish  Government  for 
his  services.  I  tell  you,  Mr.  Brett,  I  won't  put  up 
with  it.  I  will  follow  him  to  the  other  end  of  the 
world,  and,  at  any  rate,  take  personal  vengeance  on 


TALBOTS   ADVENTURES  257 

the  man  who  has  ruined  my  career.  For,  no  matter 
what  you  say,  the  only  effective  way  in  which 
I  can  rehabilitate  myself  with  my  superiors  is  to 
hand  back  those  diamonds  to  the  custody  of  the 
Foreign  Office.  No  matter  how  the  panic-stricken 
sovereign  in  Yildiz  Kiosk  may  sacrifice  his  servants 
to  gain  his  own  ends,  I,  at  least,  have  a  higher 
motive.  It  rests  with  me  to  prove  that  the  British 
Government  is  not  to  be  humbugged  by  Paris  thieves 
or  Turkish  agitators.  If  I  fail  in  that  duty  there 
remains  to  me  the  personal  motive  of  revenge ! 

"  No,  Edith  ;  it  is  useless  to  argue  with  me,"  for 
his  sister  had  risen  and  placed  her  arms  lovingly 
round  his  neck  in  the  effort  to  calm  him.  "  My 
mind  is  made  up.  I  suppose  Mr.  Brett  feels  that 
his  inquiry  is  ended.  For  me  it  has  just  com- 
menced." 

The  young  man's  justifiable  rage  created  a  sen- 
sation which  was  promptly  allayed  by  Brett's  cool 
voice. 

"  May  I  ask,"  he  said,  "  what  reason  you  have 
to  suppose  that  I  should  so  readily  throw  up  the 
sponge  and  leave  Monsieur  Henri  Dubois  the  victor 
in  this  contest  ?  " 

"  Do  you  mean,"  cried  Talbot,  starting  to  his 
feet,  "  that  you  will  stand  by  me  ?  " 

"  Stand  by  you !  "  echoed  the  barrister,  himself 
yielding  for  an  instant  to  the  electrical  condition 
of  things.  "  Of  course  I  will.  We  will  recover  those 
diamonds  and  bring  them  back  with  us  to  London 
if  we  have  to  take  them  out  of  the  Sultan's  palace 
itself !  " 

"  And  now,  Lord  Fairholme,"  he  added,  before 
Talbot  could  do  other  than  grasp  his  hand  and  shake 
it  impulsively,  "  we  want  your  friend's  yacht.  We 
will  set  out  for  Palermo  at  the  first  possible  moment. 


258        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

We  must  reach  there  many  hours,  perhaps  a  whole 
day,  before  Dubois,  who  is  on  a  sailing  vessel,  and 
even  with  the  start  he  has  obtained  cannot  hope  to 
equal  the  performance  of  a  fast  steamer.  Let  Gros 
Jean  and  his  Turks  travel  overland.  We  will  beat 
them,  too.  Come,  now,  no  more  talk,  but  action. 
You,  Fairholme,  go  ahead  and  prepare  Daubeney. 
I  will  see  to  your  luggage  being  packed.  Talbot  and 
I  will  join  you  in  half  an  hour." 

"  Eh !  what  is  that  ?  "  broke  in  Sir  Hubert. 
"  Fairholme,  Talbot,  you — what  are  Edith  and  I 
going  to  do  ?  " 

"  Mr.  Brett,  of  course,"  said  Edith,  in  her  steady, 
even  tones,  "  did  not  trouble  to  include  us,  uncle, 
because  we  shall  be  on  the  yacht  first.  A  woman 
can  always  pack  up  much  better  than  a  man,  you 
know,  and  I  will  look  after  you,  dear." 

Brett  gave  one  glance  at  her  flushed  and  smiling 
face,  and  forthwith  abandoned  argument  as  use- 
less. 

An  hour  later  the  Blue-Bell  was  skimming  merrily 
past  the  outer  lighthouse  in  Marseilles  bay. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

THE  RACE 

FOR  a  wonder,  the  Gulf  of  Lyons  was  not 
boisterous.  They  had  a  pleasant  journey 
through  the  night,  and  Daubeney  assured  them 
that  his  handsome  yacht  was  doing  twelve  knots 
an  hour  without  being  pressed. 

Next  morning  they  reached  the  Straits  of  Boni- 
facio, and  here  they  had  to  slacken  speed  somewhat, 
for  the  navigation  of  that  rocky  channel  was  difficult 
and  dangerous.  Far  behind  them  they  could  see 
a  huge  steamer  approaching.  As  the  morning  wore, 
this  vessel  came  nearer,  and  Daubeney,  important 
now  in  his  capacity  of  commander,  announced  that 
she  was  the  P.  and  O.  steamship  Ganges,  bound  for 
Brindisi  and  the  East,  via  the  Straits  of  Messina. 

*'  She  left  Marseilles  at  a  late  hour  last  night," 
he  said,  "  and  will  call  at  Brinidsi  for  the  Indian 
mails.'* 

An  idea  suddenly  struck  Brett.  "  Do  you  know 
how  fast  she  is  steaming  ?  "  he  inquired. 

"  Oh,  about  thirteen  and  a  half  knots  an  hour. 
That  is  her  best  rate.  The  P.  and  0.  boats  are  not 
flyers,  you  know." 

"  And  does  she  stop  at  Messina  ?  " 


260        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

Daubeney  now  caught  the  drift  of  the  barrister's 
questions. 

"  I  don't  think  so,  but  Macpherson,  my  chief 
engineer,  will  probably  tell  us." 

Macpherson  was  produced,  a  bearded  and  grizzled 
personage,  hailing  from  Dundee.  Being  a  Scotch- 
man he  would  not  commit  himself. 

"  I  hav'na  hear-rd  o'  the  P.  and  O.  ships  stoppin' 
at  Messina,"  he  announced,  "  but  aiblins  they  wad 
if  they  got  their  price."  And  "  Mac  "  would  not 
commit  himself  any  further. 

Another  hour  passed,  and  the  Ganges  was  now 
almost  alongside.  Although  both  ships  were  well 
through  the  Straits  of  Bonifacio,  and  the  Ganges 
should  have  followed  a  course  a  point  or  two  north 
of  that  pursued  by  the  Blue-Bell,  she  appeared  to  be 
desirous  to  come  close  to  them. 

Suddenly  the  reason  became  apparent.  A  line 
of  little  flags  fluttered  up  to  her  masthead. 

"  She  is  signalling  us,"  cried  Daubeney  excitedly. 
"  Here  you,"  he  shouted  to  a  sailor,  "  bring  Jones 
here  at  once." 

Jones  was  the  yacht's  expert  signaller.  He  ap- 
proached with  a  telescope  and  a  code  under  his  arm. 
After  a  prolonged  gaze  and  a  careful  scrutiny  of  the 
code,  he  announced — 

"  This  is  how  the  message  reads :  *  Turks  on 
board.  Stopping  Messina. — WINTER.*  " 

For  once  the  barrister  was  startled  out  of  his 
usual  quiet  self-possession. 

"  Winter !  "  he  almost  screamed.  "  Is  he 
there  ? " 

A  hundred  mad  questions  coursed  through  his 
brain,  but  he  realized  that  to  attempt  a  long  ex- 


THE   RACE  261 

planation  by  signals  was  not  only  out  of  the  question, 
but  could  not  fail  to  attract  the  attention  of  pas- 
sengers on  board  the  Ganges.  This  he  did  not  desire 
to  do.  Quick  as  lightning,  he  decided  that  by  some 
inexplicable  means  the  Scotland  Yard  detective 
had  reached  Marseilles  full  of  the  knowledge  that 
Dubois  and  the  diamonds  were  en  route  to  Sicily,  and 
had  also  learnt  that  he,  Brett,  and  the  others  were 
on  board  the  Blue-Bell. 

He  had  evidently  taken  the  speediest  means  of 
reaching  the  island,  and  found  himself  on  board  the 
same  ship  as  Gros  Jean  and  the  Turks.  Hence  he 
had  approached  the  captain  with  the  request  that 
the  Blue-Bell  should  be  signalled. 

"  What  shall  we  answer  ?  "  said  Daubeney,  break- 
ing in  upon  the  barrister's  train  of  thought. 

"  Oh,  say  that  the  signal  is  fully  understood." 

Whilst  the  answering  flags  were  being  displayed 
Daubeney  asked — 

"  What  does  it  all  mean  ?  " 

"  It  means,"  said  Brett,  "  that  if  the  Blue-Bell 
has  another  yard  of  speed  in  her  engines  we  shall 
need  it  all.  It  perhaps  will  make  no  material  differ- 
ence in  the  long  run,  but  as  a  mere  matter  of  pride 
I  should  like  to  reach  Palermo  before  Gros  Jean.  If 
I  remember  rightly,  Palermo  is  six  hours  from 
Messina  by  rail.  Can  we  do  it  ?  " 

**  Mac  "  was  again  consulted.  Of  course  he  would 
not  commit  himself. 

"  We  will  try  damned  ha-r-rd,"  he  said. 

And  with  this  emphatic  resolve  the  Blue-Bell 
sped  onwards  through  the  sunlit  sea  until,  late 
in  the  evening,  the  Ganges  was  hull  down  on  her 
quarter. 

Macpherson  came  on  deck  to  take  a  last  look 
at  the  P.  and  O. 


262        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  It  will  be  a  gr-reat  race,"  he  announced,  "  and 
I  may  have  to  kill  a  stoker.  But " 

Then  he  dived  below  again. 

So  rapidly  did  the  Blue-Bell  speed  over  the  inland 
sea  that  as  night  fell  over  the  face  of  the  waters  on 
the  second  day  out  from  Marseilles  the  look-out 
forrard  announced  "  a  light  on  the  starboard  bow," 
and  Daubeney,  after  scrutinizing  it  through  his 
binoculars  and  consulting  a  chart,  announced  it 
to  be  the  occulting  light  on  Cape  San  Vito. 

This  discovery  occasioned  a  slight  alteration  in 
the  course.  The  Blue-Bell  ran  merrily  on  until  the 
small  hours  of  the  morning,  when  everybody  on 
board  was  suddenly  awakened  by  the  stoppage  of 
the  screw. 

This  is  always  a  disturbing  incident  at  sea  when 
people  are  asleep.  Travellers  not  inured  to  the 
incidents  of  ocean  voyaging  cannot  help  conjuring 
up  vivid  pictures  of  impending  disaster. 

It  is  useless  to  tell  them  that  for  the  very  reason 
the  ship  has  slackened  her  speed  it  is  obvious  she 
is  being  navigated  with  care  and  watchfulness. 
Reason  at  such  a  time  is  dethroned  by  the  natural 
timidity  of  the  unseen,  and  it  is  not  surprising  there- 
fore that  the  passengers  on  board  the  Blue-Bell 
should  one  and  all  find  some  pretext  to  gain  the  deck 
in  their  eagerness  to  find  out  why  the  vessel  had 
slowed  down.  The  answer  was  a  reassuring  one. 
She  had  burnt  a  flare  for  a  pilot,  and  quickly  an 
answering  gleam  came  from  afar  out  of  the  darkness 
ahead. 

The  pilot  was  soon  on  board.  He  was  an 
Italian,  but,  like  most  members  of  his  profession 
doing  business  in  those  waters,  he  spoke  French 
fluently. 

Brett  asked  him  how  long,  with  the  north-easterly 


THE   RACE  263 

breeze  then  blowing,  a  small  sailing  vessel,  such  as 
a  schooner-rigged  fishing-smack,  would  take  to 
reach  Palermo  from  Marseilles. 

The  pilot  seemed  to  be  surprised  at  the  question. 

"  It  is  a  trip  not  often  made,  monsieur,"  he  said. 
"  Fishing  vessels  from  Marseilles  are  frequently 
compelled  to  take  shelter  under  the  lea  of  Corsica 
or  even  Sardinia,  but  here — in  Sicily — why  should 
they  come  here  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  don't  mean  a  schooner  engaged  in  the 
fishing  trade,  but  rather  a  small  vessel  chartered 
for  pleasure,  taking  the  place,  as  it  were,  of  a  private 
yacht." 

"  Ah,"  said  the  Italian,  "  that  explains  it.  Well, 
monsieur,  with  this  breeze  I  should  imagine  they 
would  set  their  course  round  by  the  north  of  Corsica 
in  order  to  avoid  beating  through  the  Straits  of 
Bonifacio.  That  would  make  the  run  about  650 
knots,  and  a  smart  little  vessel,  carrying  all  her  sails 
and  properly  ballasted,  might  reach  Palermo  in  a 
few  hours  over  three  days." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Brett.  "  Is  Palermo  a  difficult 
port  to  make  ?  " 

"Oh  no,  monsieur.  There  is  deep  water  all 
round  here,  no  shoals,  and  but  few  isolated  rocks, 
which  are  all  well  known.  The  only  thing  to  guard 
against  is  the  changeful  current.  According  to  the 
state  of  the  tide  and  the  direction  of  the  wind,  sail- 
ing ships  have  to  alter  their  course  very  considerably, 
for  the  currents  round  here  are  very  strong  and 
consequently  most  dangerous  in  calm  weather." 

Brett  smiled. 

"  It  would  be  an  ignoble  conclusion  to  the  chase 
if  the  Belles  Sceurs  were  wrecked  with  her  valuable 
cargo.  I  most  devoutly  pray,"  he  said  to  himself, 
"  that  the  breezes  and  currents  may  combine  to 


264        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

bring  Dubois  safely  on  shore.  Then  I  think  we 
can  deal  with  him." 

Soon  after  daybreak  the  Blue-Bell,  after  a  momen- 
tary halt  at  the  Customs  Station,  crept  past  the  Cas- 
tello  a  Mare,  and  amidst  much  gesticulation,  ac- 
companied by  a  torrent  of  volcanic  Italian,  she  was 
tied  up  to  a  wharf  in  the  Cala — the  small  inner 
harbour  of  the  port. 

Edith,  who  could  not  sleep  since  the  advent  of 
the  pilot,  made  an  early  toilet  and  climbed  to  the 
bridge,  whence  she  had  a  magnificent  view  of  the 
sunrise  over  the  beautiful  city  that  stands  on  the 
Conca  d'Oro,  or  Golden  Shell — the  smiling  and 
luxuriant  plain  that  seems  to  be  provided  by  Nature 
for  man's  habitation.  It  lies  beyond  a  lovely  bay, 
and  is  enclosed  on  three  sides  by  lofty  and  pre- 
cipitous mountains. 

Naturally  Fairholme  was  drawn  to  her  side  as  a 
chip  of  steel  to  a  magnet. 

"  We  are  certain  to  have  a  furious  row  here,"  he 
remarked  when  they  had  exhausted  their  superlative 
adjectives  concerning  the  splendid  prospect  opening 
up  before  their  eyes. 

"  Why  ?  "  cried  Edith  wonderingly.  "  I  under- 
stood that  our  present  adventure  may  at  any  mo- 
ment have  exciting  developments,  but  I  do  not  see 
the  association  between  the  view  and  the  possibility." 

"  It  is  this  way,"  he  answered.  "  I  have  not 
read  a  great  deal,  as  you  know,  but  I  have  always 
noticed  in  my  limited  way  that  wherever  Nature  is 
most  lavish  in  her  gifts,  she  seems  to  take  a  delight 
in  setting  people  by  the  ears.  Italy  is  a  fine  country, 
you  know,  yet  there  are  more  murders  to  the  square 
inch  there  than  in  any  other  place  on  earth.  Then 
again,  it  is  likely  that  several  armed  policemen 
are  at  this  moment  chasing  bandits  among  those 


THE   RACE  265 

hills  over  there,"  and  he  nodded  towards  the  distant 
blue  heights  which  looked  so  peaceful  in  the  clear 
atmosphere,  now  brilliant  with  the  rays  of  the  rising 
sun. 

Edith  laughed.  "  Really,  Bobby,"  she  pouted, 
"  you  are  becoming  sentimental.  I  half  expect  to 
find  you  break  out  into  verse." 

'*  I  can  do  that,  too,"  he  said,  "  though  it  is  not 
my  own.  Hasn't  Heber  got  a  hymn  which  tells  us 
of  a  place  where 

Every  prospect  pleases, 
And   only  man  is  vile. 

I  forget  the  rest  of  it." 

Miss  Talbot  faced  him  rapidly. 

*'  Good  gracious,  Bobby,  what  is  the  matter  with 
you  ?  I  never  knew  you  in  such  a  melting  mood 
before  ?  " 

"  How  can  I  help  it  ?  "  he  half- whispered,  laying 
his  hand  on  her  shoulder.  "  We  have  never  been 
together  so  much  before  in  our  lives.  Don't  you 
realize,  Edith,  what  it  means  to  us  if  Mr.  Brett  dis- 
covers those  diamonds  within  the  next  few  hours  or 
days  ?  " 

He  bent  closer  towards  her  and  his  hand  passed 
from  her  shoulder  round  her  neck.  "  When  we 
return  to  England,  if  you  are  willing,  we  can  be 
married  within  a  week." 

A  bright  flush  suffused  her  beautiful  face.  She 
bent  her  head  and  was  silent.  It  is  quite  certain 
that  Fairholme  would  have  kissed  her  had  not  Dau- 
beney  shouted — 

"  Look  here,  you  two,  flirting  on  the  bridge  is 
strictly  forbidden.  You  will  demoralize  the  whole 
crew.  Even  the  pilot  cannot  keep  his  eyes  off  you." 


266        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

They  laughed  and  giggled  like  a  couple  of  chil" 
dren  caught  stealing  gooseberries.  Yet  the  incident 
and  the  words  were  fraught  with  a  solemn  signifi- 
cance which  often  came  back  to  their  minds  in  other 
days. 

The  party  breakfasted  on  board  and  then  set  out 
to  survey  the  hotels.  Brett's  first  care  was  to  as- 
certain the  scheduled  hours  of  the  train  service 
between  Messina  and  Palermo.  To  his  joy  he  dis- 
covered that  neither  Winter  nor  the  gang  he  was 
shadowing  could  possibly  reach  the  city  until  a 
quarter  to  four  in  the  afternoon.  They  decided  in 
favour  of  the  Hotel  de  France  as  being  most  modern 
in  its  appearance  and  centrally  situated. 

The  next  thing  to  do  was  to  provide  an  efficient 
watch  on  all  sailing  vessels  entering  the  harbour, 
and  here  the  pilot  proved  to  be  a  valuable  ally. 
Brett  explained  to  him  that  he  was  most  anxious 
to  meet  some  people  who  were  coming  from  Mar- 
seilles on  a  fishing  smack  named  the  Belles  Sceurs, 
No.  107.  It  was  possible,  he  explained,  that  both  the 
number  and  the  name  might  be  obliterated,  so  he 
wished  the  pilot,  or  any  helpers  he  might  employ 
for  the  duty,  to  take  particular  note  of  all  strange 
boats  answering  to  this  description,  and  at  once 
report  their  appearance.  This  the  man  guaranteed 
to  do.  He  said  that  it  was  quite  impossible  for 
a  French-rigged  smack  to  enter  Palermo  without 
attracting  his  notice. 

As  the  daily  remuneration  fixed  for  his  services 
was  far  beyond  any  sum  he  could  earn  as  a  pilot, 
he  set  about  his  task  with  enthusiasm.  He  engaged 
two  assistants  to  take  turns  in  watching  the 
harbour,  and  gave  the  barrister  such  assurances 
of  devotion  to  duty  that  Brett  felt  quite  satisfied 
that  Dubois  could  not  arrive  in  Palermo  without 


THE   RACE  267 

his  knowledge.  Of  course  it  was  quite  on  the  cards 
that  some  secluded  creek  along  the  coast  might  be 
preferred  by  the  astute  schemer  as  a  point  of  de- 
barkation, but  this  was  a  risk  which  must  be  taken. 

By  approaching  the  police  authorities  and  re- 
questing their  co-operation,  and  also  using  Gros  Jean 
and  the  Turks  as  a  stalking-horse,  Brett  felt  tolerably 
certain  that  the  time  would  soon  arrive  when 
Dubois  and  he  would  stand  face  to  face. 

In  making  these  manifold  preparations  the 
morning  passed  rapidly.  The  barrister  insisted 
that  his  companions  should  go  for  a  drive  whilst 
he  busied  himself  with  the  necessary  details,  and 
they  should  meet  at  the  hotel  for  the  midday 
meal.  It  was  then  that  he  singled  out  Sir  Hubert 
for  his  personal  share  in  the  pursuit. 

"  You  know  Mr.  Winter  ?  "  he  said  to  the  baronet. 

"  Yes,  I  remember  him  perfectly." 

In  that  case  I  wish  you  to  go  to  the  station  and 
meet  the  3.45  p.m.  train  on  arrival.  You  will 
probably  see  the  Turks  and  Gros  Jean,  but  pay  no 
attention  to  them.  Keep  a  bright  lookout  for 
Mr.  Winter.  Walk  up  quite  openly  and  speak  to 
him,  and  the  probability  is  that  should  Grosjean  have 
become  suspicious  of  this  Englishman  who  follows 
in  the  same  track  as  himself,  your  presence  on  the 
platform  will  convince  him  that  he  was  mistaken  in 
imagining  the  slightest  connection  between  Winter's 
journey  and  his  own." 

"  That  is  good,"  said  the  major-general.  "  It 
would  never  have  occurred  to  me.  Any  other 
commands  ?  " 

"  None,  save  this,"  continued  Brett,  smiling  at 
the  old  soldier's  eagerness  to  obey  implicitly  any 
instructions  given  to  him.  "  When  you  meet 
-Winter,  tell  him,  if  possible,  to  so  direct  his  move- 


268        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

ments  as  to  find  out  Gros  Jean's  destination,  if  it 
can  be  done  without  giving  the  Frenchman  the 
slightest  cause  for  uneasiness.  Otherwise  the  matter 
is  of  no  consequence.  I  have  already  interviewed 
the  chief  of  police  here,  and  it  will  only  be  a  question 
of  an  hour's  delay  before  the  local  detectives  effect- 
ually locate  the  quarters  occupied  by  Gros  Jean 
and  the  Turks." 


CHAPTER   XX 

CLOSE   QUARTERS 

SIR  HUBERT  was  all  eagerness  to  undertake  his 
mission.  He  reached  the  station  at  least 
half  an  hour  too  soon.  Anyone  seeing  him  there 
would  readily  admit  that  the  barrister  could  not 
have  chosen  an  agent  less  guileful  in  appearance. 
The  very  cut  of  his  clothes,  the  immaculate  character 
of  his  white  spatts,  bespoke  the  elderly  British 
gentleman. 

At  last  the  train  arrived.  The  vast  majority  of 
its  passengers  were  Sicilian  peasants  or  business  men 
returning  to  Palermo  from  the  interior  of  the  island. 
To  Sir  Hubert's  delight,  he  at  once  caught  sight  of 
Gros  Jean  and  the  Turks,  whom,  of  course,  he 
quickly  identified  as  the  loungers  on  the  tower  of 
the  Chateau  d'If. 

It  occurred  to  him  that  there  was  a  remote  chance 
of  recognition  by  Gros  Jean,  so  he  busied  himself 
for  an  instant  in  a  seeming  scrutiny  of  the  bookstall 
until  they  had  passed.  A  little  further  down  the 
platform  he  caught  sight  of  Inspector  Winter,  that 
worthy  individual  being  engaged  in  a  fiercely  un- 
intelligible controversy  with  an  Italian  porter  as  to 
the  possession  of  his  portmanteau. 


270        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

Sir  Hubert  hurried  forward,  and  seized  the 
amazed  policeman  by  his  hand,  wringing  it 
warmly.  To  tell  the  truth,  Winter  did  not  know 
for  a  moment  who  it  was  that  accorded  him  such 
a  cordial  greeting,  for,  as  it  subsequently  trans- 
pired, the  policeman  was  not  aware  of  Sir  Hubert's 
journey  to  Marseilles,  nor  did  he  guess  that  Edith 
was  with  him. 

The  stolid  detective,  however,  quickly  re- 
covered himself,  and  his  first  words  were — 

"  Did  Mr.  Brett  fully  understand  my  signal  ?  " 

"  I  think  so,"  said  the  other  ;  "  but  he  will  tell 
you  all  about  that  afterwards.  At  present  he 
wishes  you  to  ascertain  Gros  Jean's  intended 
residence." 

Mr.  Winter  smiled  with  the  peculiar  air  of 
superiority  affected  by  Scotland  Yard. 

"  Oh,  that  is  too  easy,"  he  condescended  to  ex- 
plain. "  I  have  been  talking  to  him." 

"  You  don't  say  so  !  " 

"  Yes,  I  have.  My  French  is  bad,  and  his 
English  is  worse,  but  he  understands  that  I  am  in 
the  wholesale  grocery  trade.  I  have  come  to 
Palermo  to  buy  currants  !  " 

"  Most  extraordinary !  How  very  clever  of 
you !  " 

Mr.  Winter  drew  himself  up  with  an  air  of  pro- 
fessional pride. 

"  That  is  nothing,  sir,"  he  said.  "  We  often 
make  queer  acquaintanceships  in  the  way  of  busi- 
ness. But  Gros  Jean  is  a  smart  chap.  He  eyed 
me  curiously  when  he  happened  to  hear  that  I  was 
the  fifth  passenger  who  wished  to  leave  the  steamer 
at  Messina,  so  I  took  the  bull  by  the  horns  and 
made  myself  useful  to  him  in  the  matter  of  getting 
his  baggage  out  of  the  hold." 


CLOSE   QUARTERS  271 

"  Marvellous  !  "  gasped  Sir  Hubert. 

"The  upshot  of  it  was  that  he  gave  me  some 
advice  about  currants.  We  stayed  in  the  same 
hotel  at  Messina,  travelled  together  in  the  train, 
and  I  am  going  to  put  up  at  the  Campo  Santo 
Hotel,  where  he  will  stay  with  the  Turks." 

Meanwhile  the  subject  of  their  conversation  had 
quitted  the  station,  and  Sir  Hubert's  respect  for 
Mr.  Winter's  powers  as  a  sleuth-hound  yielded  to 
anxiety  lest  the  slippery  Frenchman  might  vanish 
once  and  for  all. 

"  Hadn't  we  better  follow  him  ? "  he  sug- 
gested. 

Mr.  Winter  winked  knowingly.  "  Don't  be 
anxious,  sir.  He  wants  to  be  seen  in  my  com- 
pany. He  believes  I  am  here  for  trading  purposes, 
and  the  association  will  be  useful  to  him." 

Nevertheless  the  baronet  was  glad  to  find  that 
Mr.  Winter's  confidence  was  not  misplaced,  when, 
ten  minutes  later,  he  again  encountered  the  French- 
man and  the  Turks  at  the  door  of  the  Campo  Santo, 
a  cheap  and  popular  hotel  near  the  square  that 
forms  the  centre  of  Palermo. 

The  detective  was  eminently  suited  for  the  role 
he  now  filled. 

"  Ah,  monsoo,"  he  cried  with  boisterous  good 
humour,  "  permittez-moi  introducer  un  friend  of 
mine,  Monsoo  Smeeth,  de  Londres,  you  know.  Je 
ne  savez  pas  les  noms  de  votre  companiongs,  but 
they  are  tres  bons  camarades,  je  suis  certain." 

Gros  Jean  was  most  complaisant. 

"  It  ees  von  grand  plaisir,  m'sieu,"  he  said, 
whilst  the  Turks  gravely  bowed  their  acknowledg- 
ments. 

The  upshot  of  this  extraordinary  meeting  was 
that  when  Mr.  Winter  had  secured  a  room  and  the 


272       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

party  had  ordered  dinner,  the  six  men  set  out  for 
a  stroll  through  the  town. 

Sir  Hubert  strove  hard  to  so  manoeuvre  their 
ramble  that  they  should  pass  the  Hotel  de  France, 
and  perchance  come  under  the  astonished  eyes  of 
Brett  and  the  others. 

But  this  amiable  design  was  frustrated  by  Gros 
Jean's  eagerness  to  visit  the  post-office,  which  lay 
in  a  different  direction. 

One  of  the  Turks,  none  other  than  Hussein-ul- 
Mulk,  spoke  English  fairly  well,  and  it  puzzled  the 
old  baronet  considerably  to  answer  his  questions. 

Yet  the  situation  passed  off  well.  Gros  Jean 
came  out  of  the  post-office,  apparently  without 
having  obtained  any  missives — a  letter,  of  course, 
could  not  possibly  await  him — and  suggested  that 
they  should  wander  towards  the  harbour. 

Sir  Hubert  strongly  recommended  the  spectacu- 
lar beauty  of  the  street  where  the  Hotel  de  France 
lay,  but  Gros  Jean  politely  insisted  that  he  wished 
to  make  some  inquiries  at  the  shipping  office,  and 
Mr.  Winter  backed  him  up,  being  ignorant  of  the 
baronet's  real  motive. 

There  was  nothing  to  do  but  yield  gracefully. 

They  walked  along  the  Corso  Vittorio  Em- 
manuele.  Sir  Hubert,  fresh  with  memories  of  his 
morning's  drive  with  a  guide,  pointed  out  the  chief 
buildings,  becoming  sadly  mixed  up  in  the  names 
of  some  of  them. 

Still,  this  was  a  safer  topic  than  his  previous  con- 
versation with  Hussein-ul-Mulk,  so  he  persevered 
gamely. 

They  soon  reached  the  quay.  Sir  Hubert  be- 
came almost  incoherent  with  agitation  when  they 
passed  the  Blue-Bell  and  came  into  full  view  of 
Edith,  Jack,  Fairholme  and  Daubeney,  who  hap- 


CLOSE   QUARTERS  273 

pened  to  leave  the  hotel  shortly  before  five  o'clock 
in  order  to  visit  the  yacht  and  secure  a  good  cup 
of  tea. 

Brett  refused  to  accompany  them,  on  the  ground 
that  his  Italian  scout,  the  pilot,  might  bring  news 
at  any  hour,  and  he  must  remain  within  immediate 
call. 

It  was  a  supreme  moment  when  Gros  Jean 
halted  and  called  general  attention  to  the  smart- 
looking  vessel  and  the  tea-drinkers. 

Sir  Hubert  keenly  examined  the  top  of  the  funnel, 
and  tried  simultaneously  to  yawn  and  light  a 
cigar.  In  the  result  he  nearly  choked  himself. 
Mr.  Winter,  somewhat  more  prepared  for  emergen- 
cies, endeavoured  to  interest  Gros  Jean  in  the 
wonderful  clearness  of  the  water. 

But  Hussein  -  ul  -  Mulk  and  his  two  sedate 
friends  suddenly  betrayed  a  keen  interest  in  Fair- 
holme. 

When  they  last  met  the  earl  on  the  tower  of  the 
Chateau  d'lf  they  were  so  engrossed  in  the  object 
of  their  visit  to  Marseilles  that  he  had  passed  them 
unnoticed. 

But  now,  looking  steadily  at  him — for  Fair- 
holme  was  seated  facing  them,  and  was  striving  to 
maintain  the  semblance  of  an  animated  chat  with 
Edith — there  came  to  the  Turks  a  memory,  each 
instant  becoming  more  definite,  of  an  exciting 
scene  in  the  Rue  Barbette,  and  the  opportune 
arrival  of  a  stalwart  young  Englishman,  backed  up 
by  a  couple  of  gendarmes. 

Hussein-ul-Mulk's  swarthy  countenance  reddened 
with  suspicious  anger.  He  drew  Gros  Jean  on 
one  side  and  whispered  something  to  him.  The 
Frenchman  started  violently. 

"  They   have   recognized   you,    Bobby ! "   mur- 


274        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

mured  the  quick-witted  Edith.  "  Oh,  why  didn't 
we  remain  with  Mr.  Brett !  " 

There  is  no  knowing  what  might  have  happened 
had  not  Fate  stepped  in  to  decide  in  dramatic 
fashion  the  important  issues  at  stake. 

Whilst  Gros  Jean  and  the  Turk  were  still  con- 
ferring in  stealthy  tones,  and  the  English  people 
endeavoured  to  keep  up  an  appearance  of  com- 
plete unconcern,  a  tramp  steamer  swung  round  the 
corner  of  the  mole  that  protects  the  harbour. 

In  tow,  with  sails  trimly  furled  and  six  people 
standing  on  her  small  deck — a  lady  and  gentleman 
and  four  sailors — was  the  Belles  Saurs,  fishing- 
smack  No.  107,  from  Marseilles.  Instantly  a 
watcher,  otherwise  unperceived,  ran  off  from  the 
quay  at  top  speed  towards  the  Hotel  de  France. 

Gros  Jean,  the  Turks,  Edith,  Fairholme — each 
and  every  member  of  the  two  parties  on  the  wharf 
and  on  the  deck  of  the  Blue-Bell — momentarily 
forgot  the  minor  excitement  of  the  situation  in 
view  of  this  unexpected  apparition. 

"  Voila  !  Us  viennent !  Venez  vite  !  "  cried 
Gros  Jean. 

He  ran  further  along  the  quay,  followed  by  the 
Turks. 

"  Quick,  Bobby  !  Oh,  Jack,  do  something  !  Mr. 
Brett  could  not  foresee  this,  though  he  seemed  to  have 
an  inspiration  that  kept  him  in  the  hotel.  What 
can  we  do  ?  Dubois  and  the  girl  will  know  you  at 
once  !  Jack,  shouldn't  you  keep  out  of  sight  ? — 
go  below — go  and  fetch  Mr.  Brett.  Oh,  dear,  this 
is  dreadful !  " 

Thus  did  Edith,  for  once  yielding  to  feminine 
irresolution,  appeal  to  her  lover  and  brother, 
vainly  seeking  to  discover  the  best  line  of  action  to 
follow  in  this  disastrous  circumstance,  for  she  knew 


CLOSE   QUARTERS  275 

that  the  diamonds  must  now  be  in  the  personal 
possession  of  Dubois.  It  was  a  golden  oppor- 
tunity to  recover  the  stolen  gems.  If  once  he 
eluded  the  grasp  of  his  pursuers  after  landing  they 
might — probably  would — secure  him,  but  not  the 
diamonds. 

Daubeney,  now  purple  with  perplexity,  and 
Fairholme,  swearing  softly  under  his  breath, 
sprang  from  the  deck  to  the  low  wall  of  the  quay. 
Almost  unconsciously  they  joined  Sir  Hubert  and 
Mr.  Winter.  Edith  followed  them.  She  glanced 
at  her  brother.  He  was  gazing  curiously,  vin- 
dictively, at  the  two  figures  on  the  deck  of  the 
Belles  Sceurs.  There  was  a  fierce  gleam  in  his  eyes, 
a  set  expression  in  his  closed  lips,  a  nervous  twitch- 
ing at  the  corners  of  his  mouth,  that  betokened  the 
overpowering  emotions  of  the  moment. 

With  a  woman's  intuition  Edith  realized  that  no 
power  on  earth,  no  consideration  of  expediency, 
would  restrain  him  from  laying  violent  hands  on 
Dubois  at  the  first  possible  opportunity.  She 
knew  there  must  be  a  struggle,  in  which  Gros  Jean 
and  the  Turks,  perhaps  the  four  sailors,  would 
participate.  They  might  use  knives  and  firearms, 
whereas  the  Englishmen  were  unarmed. 

So  she  ran  back  on  board  the  yacht  and  cried  to 
the  Scotch  engineer — 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Macpherson  !  Please  come  with  some 
of  your  men !  There  may  be  a  fight  on  the 
wharf,  and  Mr.  Daubeney  and  the  others  will  be 
outnumbered !  " 

Macpherson  for  once  forgot  his  cautiousness. 
There  was  none  of  the  characteristic  slowness  of 
the  Scottish  nation  in  his  manner  or  language  as 
he  yelled  down  the  fore-hatch :  "  Tumble  up, 
there !  Some  damned  Eye-talians  are  goin'  to 


276        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

hammer  the  boss.  Bring  along  a  monkey-wrench 
or  the  first  thing  to  hand.  Shar-r-p's  the  wo-r-rd  !  " 

Forthwith  there  poured  from  the  hatchway  a 
miscellaneous  mob  of  seamen,  firemen  and  stewards. 
Following  Edith  and  Macpherson,  they  ran  along 
the  quay.  Already  there  was  something  unusual 
in  progress.  Loungers  by  the  harbour,  perceiving 
a  disturbance,  were  running  towards  the  scene  of 
action. 

A  solitary  Italian  policeman,  swaggering  jauntily 
over  the  paved  roadway,  was  suddenly  startled  out 
of  his  self-complacency. 

"  Caramba  \  "  he  shouted.  Drawing  his  sabre, 
he  broke  into  a  run. 

For  matters  had  developed  with  melodramatic 
suddenness.  Casting  off  the  steamer's  tow-ropes, 
the  Belles  Sceurs  swung  alongside  the  wharf  much 
more  easily  and  quickly  than  did  the  friendly 
vessel  by  whose  aid  she  had  so  soon  reached 
Palermo. 

Both  steamer  and  smack  had  already  been 
searched  by  the  Customs'  officers,  who  boarded 
them  in  the  quarantine  station,  and  the  reason  that 
the  schooner  had  not  been  earlier  sighted  from  the 
shore  was  supplied  by  the  mere  chance  that  she 
was  rendered  invisible  by  close  proximity  to  her 
bigger  companion. 

The  instant  that  the  fishing-boat  was  tied  to  the 
wharf,  Mile.  Beaucaire  sprang  ashore.  Gros  Jean, 
breathless  and  excited,  was  there  to  greet  her. 
But  the  greeting  between  father  and  daughter  was 
not  very  cordial.  The  innkeeper  seemed  to  be 
dumbfounded  with  surprise  at  her  early  arrival. 

Dubois  followed  more  leisurely.  He  took  no 
notice  of  Gros  Jean,  and  appeared  to  be  looking 
around  for  a  cab.  Two  of  the  sailors  were  handing 


CLOSE   QUARTERS  277 

up  a  couple  of  portmanteaus  from  the  deck. 
Hussein-ul-Mulk  and  the  two  other  Turks,  unable 
to  restrain  their  excitement,  crowded  round  the 
pink-and-white  Frenchman,  jabbering  volubly,  but 
Mademoiselle  and  her  father  moved  some  slight 
distance  away. 

At  this  juncture  Mr.  Winter  strode  resolutely 
forward,  seized  Dubois  firmly  by  the  shoulder,  and 
said — 

"  Henri  Dubois  !  In  the  name  of  the  King  of 
England  I  arrest  you  for  the  murder  of " 

The  detective's  words  were  stopped  by  a  blow. 

A  wild  struggle  promptly  ensued.  The  man 
turned  on  him  like  a  tiger,  and  the  Turks  joined  in. 
Gros  Jean,  too,  ran  back  to  take  a  hand  in  the  fray. 
Fairholme,  Sir  Hubert,  Daubeney  and  Talbot  flung 
themselves  on  the  would-be  rescuers,  and  the  four 
French  sailors  of  the  Belles  Sceurs  leaped  ashore  to 
assist  their  passenger  in  this  unlooked-for  attack. 

Frantic  yells  and  oaths  came  from  the  confused 
mob,  and  knives  were  drawn.  Talbot  had  but  one 
desire  in  life — to  get  his  fingers  on  Dubois'  throat. 
He  had  almost  reached  him,  for  Winter  clung  to 
his  prey  with  bull-dog  tenacity,  when  an  astound- 
ing thing  happened.  The  Frenchman's  handsome 
moustaches  fell  off,  and  beneath  the  clever  make- 
up on  her  face  were  visible  the  boldly  handsome 
features  of  La  Belle  Chasseuse,  now  distorted  by 
rage  and  fear. 

"You  fool!"  yelled  Talbot  to  Winter.  "You 
have  let  him  escape  !  " 

Tearing  himself  from  the  midst  of  the  fight,  he 
was  just  in  tune  to  see  the  female  figure,  which  he 
now  knew  must  be  Dubois  masquerading  in  his 
mistress's  clothes,  jumping  into  a  cab  and  driving 
off  towards  the  Corso  Vittorio  Emmanuele. 


278        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  Come  on,  Fairholme  !  "  he  cried.  "  He  cannot 
get  away  !  Here  comes  an  empty  carriage  I  " 

But  now  Macpherson  and  his  allies  had  reached 
the  scene.  Using  a  "  monkey-wrench  or  the  first 
thing  to  hand,"  they  placed  the  Turks,  Gros  Jean, 
and  the  crew  of  the  Belles  Sceurs  on  the  casualty  list. 

Mr.  Winter's  indignation  on  finding  that  he  had 
arrested  a  woman  was  painful.  In  his  astonish- 
ment he  released  his  grasp  and  turned  to  look  at 
the  disappearing  vehicle  containing  the  criminal 
he  so  ardently  longed  to  lay  hands  upon. 

La  Belle  Chasseuse,  with  the  vicious  instinct  of 
her  class,  felt  that  Talbot's  pursuit  of  her  lover  must 
be  stopped  at  all  costs. 

She  suddenly  produced  a  revolver  and  levelled 
it  at  him.  Fairholme  and  Edith  alone  noted  her 
action.  At  the  same  instant  they  rushed  towards 
her,  but  the  girl  reached  her  first. 

With  a  frenzied  prayer  that  she  might  be  in  time 
— for  she  had  been  told  of  this  woman's  prowess 
with  a  pistol — Edith  caught  hold  of  her  wrist  and 
pulled  it  violently.  Her  grip  not  only  disconcerted 
Mademoiselle's  deadly  aim,  but  also  caused  her  to 
press  the  trigger.  There  was  a  loud  report,  a 
scream,  and  Edith  collapsed  to  the  ground  with  a 
severe  bullet  wound  in  her  left  shoulder.  Even  her 
cloth  jacket  was  set  on  fire  by  the  close  proximity 
of  the  weapon. 

It  is  to  be  feared  that  Fairholme  flung  La  Belle 
Chasseuse  from  off  the  quay  into  the  harbour  with 
unnecessary  violence.  Indeed,  the  Italian  on- 
lookers, not  accustomed  to  sanguinary  broils,  sub- 
sequently agreed  that  this  was  the  pi&ce  de  resistance 
of  the  spectacle,  for  the  lady  was  pitched  many  feet 
through  the  air  before  she  struck  the  water,  whence 
she  was  rescued  with  some  difficulty. 


"Farsholme  flung  la  Belle  Chasseux  with  unnecessary  violence." 

— Page  278. 

Tht  Alhtn  Gate  Mysttry. 


CLOSE    QUARTERS  279 

Careless  how  or  where  Mademoiselle  ended  her 
flight,  the  earl  dropped  on  his  knees  beside  Edith 
and  quickly  pressed  out  the  flames  of  the  burning 
cloth  with  his  hands.  He  burnt  himself  badly  in 
the  act,  but  of  this  he  was  insensible.  Then  he  bent 
closer  and  looked  desperately,  almost  hopelessly, 
into  her  face. 

"  Speak  to  me,  darling !  "  he  moaned  in  such  a 
low,  broken-hearted  voice  that  even  Sir  Hubert, 
himself  almost  mad  with  grief,  realized  how  the 
other  suffered. 

Edith  heard  him.  She  opened  her  eyes,  and 
smiled  bravely. 

"  I  don't  think  it  is  serious,"  she  murmured. 
"  I  was  hit  high  up — somewhere  in  the  shoulder. 
Don't  fret,  there's  a  dear." 

Then  she  fainted. 

Not  knowing  why  Fairholme  did  not  join  him, 
Talbot  raced  towards  the  carriage  he  had  seen  ap- 
proaching. It  was  a  smart  vehicle,  with  a  sleek, 
well-groomed  horse,  and  he  guessed  that  it  must 
be  a  private  conveyance.  Gazing  anxiously 
around,  he  could  not  see  another  carriage  any- 
where in  the  vicinity.  There  was  nothing  for  it 
but  the  method  of  the  brutal  Saxon.  Explana- 
tions would  need  precious  time  and  might  be 
wasted.  So  Talbot  jumped  into  the  victoria, 
hauled  the  coachman  off  the  box,  threw  him  into 
the  roadway,  seized  the  reins,  and  climbed  into  the 
vacant  seat. 

Brett,  hurrying  with  the  pilot  from  the  Hotel  de 
France,  saw  a  veiled  and  curious-looking  female 
vehemently  urging  the  driver  of  a  carriage  to 
proceed  up  the  main  street  of  Palermo  as  fast  as 
his  horse  could  travel. 

Even  in  the  turmoil  of  thought  caused  by  the 


28o        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

pilot's  intelligence  he  noted  something  peculiar 
in  the  lady's  manner.  Half  a  minute  later  he 
encountered  Talbot,  driving  an  empty  vehicle  and 
furiously  compelling  with  reins  and  whip  a  lazy 
animal  to  exert  himself. 

Brett  shouted  to  him.  He  might  as  well  have 
addressed  a  whirlwind. 

"  I  saw  them  ah1  together  on  the  yacht  when  I 
came  away,  signer,"  exclaimed  the  pilot.  "  That 
is,  ah1  except  the  old  signer,  who  was  walking  with 
some  Turks,  a  Frenchman,  and  another  who  looked 
like  an  Englishman." 

"  The  old  signor  was  walking  with  the  Turks  ?  " 
cried  Brett. 

"  Without  doubt.  He  conversed  with  them. 
I  thought  it  strange  that  he  took  no  notice  of  those 
on  board  the  yacht,  but  just  then  the  steamer " 

"Now,"  said  Brett  to  himself,  "Winter  has 
arrested  somebody.  Talbot  is  on  the  right  track  !  " 

Yielding  to  impulse  he  stopped  suddenly  and 
called  a  cab. 

"  Here  !  "  he  said  to  the  pilot,  "  ask  the  driver 
if  he  saw  two  carriages  pass  up  the  Corso  just  now 
at  a  very  fast  pace  ?  Very  weU !  Teh1  him  to 
follow  them  if  possible.  Jump  in  with  me.  I  may 
need  your  services  as  interpreter.  We  must  over- 
take one  or  both  of  those  carriages  !  " 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE   FIGHT 

NOT  often  have  the  good  people  of  Palermo 
seen  three  cabs  pass  through  the  Corso 
Vittorio  Emmanuele  in  such  fashion.  The  sight 
made  loiterers  curious,  drove  policemen  frantic, 
and  caused  the  drivers  of  other  vehicles  to  pull  to 
one  side  and  piously  bless  themselves. 

Dubois  had  evidently  offered  his  cocchiere  a 
lavish  bribe  for  a  quick  transit  through  the  city, 
and  the  Italian  was  determined  to  earn  it.  Al- 
though he  had  a  good  start,  and  his  horse  was 
accustomed  to  negociating  the  main  thoroughfare 
at  a  rapid  pace,  nevertheless  the  half-starved 
animal  was  not  able  to  maintain  a  high  rate  of  speed 
for  more  than  a  few  minutes. 

By  the  time  they  reached  the  Corso  Catafini, 
which  carries  the  chief  artery  of  Palermo  out  into 
the  country — crossing  the  railway  and  passing  the 
magnificent  convent  of  San  Francisco  de  Sale — 
the  horse  was  labouring  heavily  notwithstanding 
the  frantic  efforts  of  the  cabman. 

It  was  at  this  point,  when  mounting  the  bridge, 
that  Dubois  knew  for  certain  he  was  followed.  Three 
hundred  yards  behind,  he  saw  Talbot  whipping  an 
equally  unwilling,  but  better-conditioned  steed  than 


282        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

that  which  carried  his  own  fortunes.  At  the  dis- 
tance he  could  not  recognize  the  Englishman,  but 
instinct  told  him  that  this  impassioned  driver  was 
an  enemy. 

Brett,  of  course,  was  not  visible,  being  far  in  the 
rear. 

"  My  friend,"  said  Dubois,  standing  up  in  the 
small  carriage  and  leaning  against  the  driver's 
seat,  "  I  offered  you  twenty  francs  if  you  crossed 
the  city  quickly.  I  will  make  it  forty  for  another 
mile  at  the  same  pace.  See,  I  place  the  money  in 
your  pocket." 

"  It  will  kill  my  horse,  signorina." 

"  Possibly.     I  will  buy  you  another." 

The  cocchiere  thought  that  this  was  a  lady  of 
strange  manner.  There  was  an  odd  timbre  in  her 
voice,  a  note  of  domination  not  often  associated 
with  the  fair  sex.  But  she  had  given  earnest  of 
her  words  by  a  couple  of  gold  pieces,  so  he  mur- 
mured a  prayer  to  his  favourite  saint  that  the 
horse  might  not  die  until  the  right  moment. 

Thus  they  swirled  on,  pursued  and  pursuers, 
until  the  villa  residences  on  the  outskirts  of  the 
town  were  less  in  evidence,  and  fields  devoted  to 
the  pepper-wort,  alternated  with  groves  of  olives 
and  limes,  formed  the  prevalent  features  of  the 
landscape. 

Now  it  became  evident  that  the  leading  horse 
could  barely  stagger  another  fifty  yards,  not- 
withstanding the  inhuman  efforts  of  the  cocchiere 
to  make  the  most  of  the  poor  brute's  failing  energies. 
At  last  the  animal  stumbled  and  fell,  nearly  pulling 
the  driver  off  his  perch.  It  was  sad,  but  he  had 
more  than  earned  his  price,  for  Palermo  lay  far 
behind. 

"  My  horse  is   done  for,   signorina,"   cried  the 


THE   FIGHT  283 

cabman.     "  It    is    marvellous    that    he — Corfo   di 
Baccho  !    It  is  a  man  !  " 

Dubois  felt  that  his  feminine  trappings  were  no 
longer  a  disguise,  only  a  hindrance.  He  had  torn 
off  jacket,  skirt,  hat  and  wig.  The  frightened 
cabman  saw  his  fare — changed  now  into  an  athletic 
young  man,  attired  in  shirt  and  trousers,  the  latter 
rolled  up  to  his  knees — spring  from  the  vehicle 
and  vault  over  a  ditch  by  the  roadside. 

Some  portion  of  the  discarded  clothing  lay  on 
the  seat  of  the  carriage,  but  Dubois  had  thrown 
the  skirt  over  his  arm. 

"  Here !     Come    back !  "    yelled    the    Italian. 
**  What  about  payment  for  my  dead  horse  ?  " 

But  Dubois  paid  little  heed  to  him.  He  was 
fumbling  with  the  pocket  of  the  skirt  as  he  ran. 
Not  until  he  had  withdrawn  a  revolver  from  its 
folds — whereupon  he  at  once  threw  away  the  gar- 
ment— did  the  maddening  remembrance  come  to 
him  that  he  unloaded  the  weapon  prior  to  the 
Customs  examination,  and  had  forgotten  to  re- 
insert the  cartridges. 

They  were  in  the  pocket  of  his  serge  coat,  the 
coat  which  Mademoiselle  wore.  She,  like  a  prudent 
young  woman,  had  been  careful  to  reload  the  re- 
volver she  carried,  and  which  she  transferred  to 
her  new  attire  when,  at  the  last  moment,  Dubois 
suggested  the  exchange  o{  clothing  as  a  final  safe- 
guard in  the  most  unexpected  event  of  police 
interference  with  their  landing. 

Henri  Dubois  could  not  afford  to  expend  his 
breath  in  useless  curses.  But  his  eyes  scintillated 
with  fiery  gleams.  He,  the  man  who  took  no 
chances,  who  foresaw  every  pitfall  and  smiled 
at  the  devices  of  outraged  law,  to  compromise  his 
own  safety  so  foolishly  ! 


284       THE  ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

For  an  instant  he  was  tempted  to  fling  the  weapon 
away,  but  he  controlled  the  impulse. 

"  As  it  is,"  he  thought,  "  this  fellow  who  is 
pursuing  me  may  not  be  armed,  and  I  can  terrorise 
him  if  he  comes  to  close  quarters." 

Moreover,  this  superlative  scoundrel  could  feel 
tightly  fastened  round  his  waist  a  belt  containing 
diamonds  worth  over  a  million  sterling.  Such  a 
ceinture  was  worth  fighting  for,  whilst  his  pocket- 
book  contained  ample  funds  for  all  immediate 
necessities. 

If  the  worst  came  to  the  worst  he  carried  a  trust- 
worthy clasp  knife,  and  he  was  an  adept  in  the 
savate — the  system  of  scientific  defence  by  using 
hands  and  feet  which  finds  favour  with  Parisian 
"  sports." 

On  the  whole,  Henri  Dubois  made  for  a  neigh- 
bouring wood  in  a  state  of  boiling  rage  at  his  mo- 
mentary lapse  concerning  the  revolver,  but  con- 
scious that  he  had  many  a  time  extricated  himself 
from  a  worse  fix.  A  hundred  yards  in  his  rear 
ran  Jack  Talbot.  The  Englishman,  notwithstand- 
ing his  recent  imprisonment,  was  in  better  condition 
than  Dubois.  He  was  a  good  golf  player  and 
cricketer,  and  although  in  physique  and  weight  he 
did  not  differ  much  from  the  Frenchman,  his 
muscles  were  more  firmly  knit,  and  his  all-round 
training  in  athletic  exercises  gave  him  coniderable 
advantage. 

Thus  they  neared  the  wood,  neither  man  running 
at  his  top  speed.  Botn  wished  to  conserve  their 
energies  for  the  approaching  struggle.  Talbot 
could  have  come  up  with  his  quarry  sooner,  were  it 
not  for  the  paramount  consideration  that  he  should 
not  be  spent  with  the  race  at  the  supreme  moment, 
whilst  Dubois  only  intended  to  seek  the  shelter  of 


THE   FIGHT  285 

the  trees  before  he  faced  his  opponent.  The  French- 
man did  not  want  witnesses. 

Neither  was  aware  that  Brett  and  the  Italian 
pilot  had  by  this  time  reached  the  place  where 
the  two  leading  carriages  were  halted  in  the  road- 
way. Without  wasting  a  moment  the  barrister 
leapt  the  intervening  ditch  and  followed  the  runners 
across  the  field,  whilst  behind  him,  eagerly  anxious 
to  see  the  end  of  this  mysterious  chase,  came  the 
sailor. 

On  the  edge  of  the  wood  Dubois  halted  and 
turned  to  face  his  pursuer.  Instantly  he  recognized 
Talbot,  and  for  the  first  time  in  his  career  a  spasm 
of  fear  struck  cold  upon  the  Frenchman's  heart. 
In  the  young  Englishman  he  recognized  the  only 
man  who  had  cause  to  hate  him  with  an  implacable 
animosity. 

But  the  unscrupulous  adventurer  quickly  re- 
covered his  nerve. 

"  So  it  is  you  who  follow  me  so  closely,"  he  cried. 
"  Go  back,  my  friend.  This  time  I  will  not  tie  you 
on  a  bed.  You  are  becoming  dangerous.  Go  back, 
I  teU  you  !  " 

And  with  these  words  he  levelled  the  revolver  at 
Talbot's  breast,  for  the  latter  was  now  within  fifty 
yards  of  him.  But  Jack  was  animated  with  the 
mad  elation  of  a  successful  chase,  and  governed 
by  the  fierce  resolve  that  his  betrayer  should  not 
escape  him.  For  an  instant  he  stopped.  It  was 
only  to  pick  up  a  huge  stone.  Then  he  ran  on 
again,  and,  careless  whether  Dubois  fired  or  not, 
he  flung  the  missile  at  him. 

The  Frenchman  barely  succeeded  in  dodging,  as 
it  passed  unpleasantly  close  to  his  head.  He 
iastantly  understood  that  here  was  a  man  who 
not  be  deterred  by  idle  threats.  To  attempt 


286       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

to  keep  him  at  arm's  length  by  pointing  an  empty 
pistol  at  him  would  merely  court  disaster. 

So  now,  with  an  imprecation  of  genuine  rage, 
he  flung  the  weapon  at  Talbot,  who,  in  his  turn, 
was  so  surprised  by  the  action  that  he  did  not  get 
out  of  the  way  in  time.  It  struck  him  fair  in  the 
chest  and  staggered  him  for  a  moment,  whereupon 
Dubois  ran  off  again  into  the  interior  of  the  wood. 

But  Talbot's  pause  was  only  a  matter  of  seconds. 
He  did  not  trouble  to  pick  up  another  stone.  He 
felt  with  a  species  of  mad  joy  that  his  enemy  was 
unarmed — that  he  could  throttle  him  with  his 
hands,  and  wreak  upon  him  that  personal  and 
physical  vengeance  which  is  dearer  to  outraged 
humanity  than  any  wounds  inflicted  by  other 
means. 

Dubois  reached  a  small  glade  among  the  trees 
before  he  comprehended  that  his  ruthless  adversary 
was  still  close  at  his  heels.  He  stopped  for  the 
last  time,  resolved  now  to  have  done  with  this 
irritating  business,  once  and  for  all.  Talbot  too 
halted,  about  ten  yards  from  him.  He  felt  that 
he  had  the  Frenchman  at  his  mercy,  and  there 
were  a  few  things  he  wished  to  say  to  him  before 
they  closed  in  mortal  combat. 

"  This  time,  Henri  Dubois,"  he  panted,  "  I  am 
not  drugged  and  strapped  helplessly  to  a  bed. 
You  know  why  I  am  here.  I  have  followed  you  to 
avenge  the  stigma  you  inflicted  on  my  reputation 
and  at  the  same  time  to  recover  the  diamonds 
which  you  obtained  by  subterfuge  and  murder." 

The  Frenchman  was  quite  collected  in  manner. 

"  I  murdered  no  one,"  he  answered.  "  I  could 
not  help  the  blundering  of  other  people.  If  I  am 
regretfully  compelled  to  kill  you  to-day,  it  is  your 
own  fault.  I  am  only  acting  in  self-defence." 


THE   FIGHT  287 

'*  Self-defence  !  "  came  the  quick  retort.  "  Such 
men  as  you  are  a  pest.  Like  any  wild  beast  you 
will  strive  to  save  your  miserable  life  !  But,  thank 
Heaven,  you  must  depend  upon  your  claws.  Lying 
and  trickery  will  avail  you  no  further  !  " 

"  How  can  we  fight  ?  "  demanded  the  French- 
man calmly. 

"  Any  way  you  like,  you  villain.  As  man  to  man 
if  you  are  able.  If  not,  as  dog  to  dog,  for  I  am 
going  to  try  and  kill  you  !  " 

"  But  you  are  probably  armed,  whereas  I  am 
defenceless  ?  My  revolver,  as  you  saw,  was  not 
loaded." 

"  We  are  equal  in  that  respect,  if  in  no  other," 
retorted  Talbot. 

An  evil  smile  lit  up  the  Frenchman's  pallid 
face.  He  pulled  out  his  knife  with  a  flourish  and 
hissed — 

"  Then  die  yourself,  you  fool !  " 

He  advanced  upon  Jack  with  a  murderous  look 
in  his  face.  Talbot  awaited  him,  and  he,  too, 
smiled. 

"  You  are  a  liar  and  a  coward  to  the  end !  "  he 
cried.  "  But  if  you  had  twenty  knives,  Henri 
Dubois,  I  will  kill  you  !  " 

At  that  instant  a  cold,  clear  voice  rang  out  among 
the  trees,  close  behind  the  two  men. 

"  Halt !  "  it  cried. 

Both  men  involuntarily  paused  and  turned  their 
eyes  to  learn  whence  came  this  strange  interruption. 
Brett  quietly  came  a  few  paces  nearer. 

He  held  a  revolver,  pointed  significantly  at 
Dubois'  breast. 

"  Drop  that  knife,"  he  said,  with  an  icy  deter- 
mination in  tone  and  manner  that  sent  a  cold 
shiver  through  his  hearer's  spine. 


288        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  Drop  it,  or,  by  God,  I  will  shoot  you  this  in- 
stant !  " 

Dubois  felt  that  the  game  was  up.  He  flung 
down  the  knife  and  tried  even  then  to  laugh. 

"  Of  course,"  he  sneered,  "  as  I  am  cornered  on 
all  sides  I  give  in." 

Brett  still  advanced  until  he  reached  the  spot 
where  the  knife  lay.  He  picked  it  up,  and  at  the 
same  instant  lowered  the  revolver.  Then  he  ob- 
served, with  the  easy  indifference  of  one  who  re- 
marks upon  the  weather — 

"  Now  you  can  fight,  monsieur.  My  young 
friend  here  is  determined  to  thrash  you,  and  you 
richly  deserve  it.  So  I  will  not  interfere.  But 
just  one  word  before  you  begin.  Two  can  play  at 
the  game  of  bluff.  This  is  your  own  pistol.  It  is, 
as  you  know,  unloaded." 

Dubois'  cry  of  rage  at  the  trick  which  had  been 
played  on  him  was  smothered  by  his  effort  to  close 
with  Talbot,  who  immediately  flung  himself  upon 
him  with  an  impetuosity  not  to  be  denied. 

Luckily  for  the  Englishman  he  had  clutched 
Dubois  before  the  latter  could  attempt  any  of  the 
expedients  of  the  savate.  Nevertheless  the  French- 
man sought  to  defend  himself  with  the  frenzy  of 
desperation. 

The  fight,  while  it  lasted,  was  fast  and  furious. 

The  two  men  rolled  over  and  over  each  other  on 
the  ground — one  striving  to  choke  the  life  out  of 
his  opponent,  the  other  seeking  to  rend  with  teeth 
and  nails. 

This  combat  of  catamounts  could  not  last  long. 

From  the  writhing  convulsive  bodies,  locked 
together  in  a  deadly  struggle,  suddenly  there  came 
a  sharp  snap.  The  Frenchman's  right  arm  was 
broken  near  the  wrist. 


THE   FIGHT  289 

Then  Talbot  proceeded  to  wreak  his  vengeance 
on  him.  Unquestionably  he  would  have  strangled 
the  man  had  not  Brett  interfered,  for  with  his  left 
hand  he  clutched  Dubois'  throat,  whilst  with  the 
right  he  endeavoured  to  demolish  his  features. 
But  the  barrister,  assisted  by  the  Italian  pilot — 
whose  after-life  was  cheered  by  his  ability  to  relate 
the  details  of  this  Homeric  fight — pulled  the  young 
man  from  off  his  insensible  foe. 

Talbot  regained  his  feet.  Panting  with  ex- 
ertion, he  glared  down  at  the  prostrate  form,  but 
Brett,  being  practical-minded,  knelt  by  the  French- 
man's side,  tore  open  his  shut,  and  unfastened  the 
precious  belt. 

"  At  last !  "  he  murmured. 

Peering  into  one  of  the  pockets,  which  by  the 
way  of  its  bulging  he  thought  would  contain  the 
"  Imperial  diamond,"  he  looked  up  at  Talbot  with 
the  words — 

"  Now,  Jack,  we  are  even  with  him." 

It  was  the  first  time  he  had  addressed  Talbot 
by  his  familiar  and  Christian  name.  The  very 
sound  brought  back  the  other  man  to  a  conscious 
state  of  his  surroundings,  and  in  the  same  instant 
a  great  weakness  came  over  him,  for  the  terrible 
exertions  of  the  past  few  minutes  had  utterly  ex- 
hausted him. 

"  I  cannot  even  thank  you,  for  I  am  done  up. 
But  I  owe  it  all  to  you,  old  man.  If  it  had  not  been 
for  you  we  should  never  have  found  him." 

Brett's  grave  face  wrinkled  in  a  kindly  smile. 

"  I  think,"  he  said,  "  we  are  even  on  that  score. 
If  you  had  not  followed  this  rascal  he  might  have 
escaped  us  at  the  finish,  and  my  pride  would  never 
have  recovered  from  the  shock.  However,  go  and 
Bit  down  for  a  minute  or  two  and  you  will  soon  pull 

T 


2QO        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

yourself  together  again.  I  wish  to  goodness  we 
had  some  brandy.  A  drop  would  do  you  good, 
and  our  prostrate  friend  here  would  be  none  the 
worse  for  a  reviver." 

The  Italian  pilot  caught  the  word  "  brandy." 
Being  a  sailor  he  was  equal  to  all  emergencies.  He 
produced  a  small  flask  with  a  magnificent  air. 

"Behold!"  he  declared.  "It  is  the  best.  It 
is  contraband  !  " 

Brett  forced  his  companion  to  swallow  some  of 
the  liquor ;  then  he  gently  raised  Dubois'  head 
and  managed  to  pour  a  few  drops  into  his  mouth. 

The  Frenchman  regained  consciousness.  Awaken- 
ing with  a  start  to  the  realities  of  existence,  he 
endeavoured  to  rise,  but  sank  back  with  a  groan, 
for  he  had  striven  to  support  himself  on  his  broken 
arm. 

"  Be  good  enough  to  remain  quite  still,  M. 
Dubois  "  said  Brett  soothingly.  "  You  have  reached 
the  end  of  your  rope,  and  we  do  not  even  need  to 
tie  you." 

With  the  aid  of  some  handkerchiefs  and  a  couple 
of  saplings  cut  by  the  Italian  he  managed  roughly 
to  bind  the  fractured  limb.  Then  he  assisted 
Dubois  to  his  feet. 

"  Come,"  he  said,  "  we  are  regretfully  compelled 
to  bring  you  back  to  town,  but  we  will  endeavour 
to  make  the  journey  as  comfortable  as  possible 
for  you.  In  any  event,  the  horses  will  certainly 
not  travel  so  fast." 

In  the  roadway  they  found  the  carriages  where 
they  had  left  them,  whilst  three  wondering  cocchieri 
were  exchanging  opinions  as  to  the  mad  behaviour 
of  the  foreigners. 

Brett  and  the  Frenchman  entered  one  vehicle, 
Talbot  and  the  Italian  pilot  the  other. 


THE   FIGHT  291 

"  But,  gentlemen,"  moaned  the  disconsolate 
cabman  who  had  headed  the  procession  from 
Palermo,  "  who  will  pay  me  for  my  dead  horse  ?  " 

"  I  know  not,"  replied  Brett.  "  In  any  event 
you  had  better  occupy  the  vacant  seat  and  drive 
those  two  gentlemen  to  the  city,  where  you  can 
secure  the  means  of  bringing  back  your  carriage." 

In  this  guise  the  party  returned  to  Palermo, 
evoking  much  wonderment  all  the  way  through 
the  Corso  Vittorio  Emmanuele,  whence  no  less  than 
six  outraged  policemen  followed  them  to  the  Hotel 
de  France  to  obtain  their  names  and  addresses. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

PIECING  THE  PUZZLE 

PALERMO  was  in  a  perfect  ferment.  Not 
since  the  last  revolution  had  people  seen 
such  a  pitched  battle  in  the  streets,  for  Macpherson 
and  his  myrmidons  had  used  no  gentle  means  to 
pacify  Gros  Jean  and  the  Turks,  whilst  the  crew 
of  the  Belles  Sceurs  would  not  be  in  a  fit  state  to  go 
to  sea  for  many  days. 

An  excited  mob  of  people  surrounded  the  hotel 
when  Brett  and  Talbot  arrived  with  their  wounded 
prisoner.  Fortunately  the  Chief  of  Police  came 
in  person  to  ascertain  the  cause  of  all  this  turmoil. 
The  first  alarmist  report  that  reached  his  ears  made 
out  that  a  species  of  international  warfare  had 
broken  out  in  the  harbour. 

He  told  his  subordinates  to  clear  away  the  crowd, 
and  explanations  by  Brett  and  Winter  soon  demon- 
strated the  wisdom  of  an  official  communique  to  the 
Press  that  the  row  on  the  pier  was  merely  the  out- 
come of  a  quarrel  between  some  intoxicated  sailors. 

The  Chief  of  the  Police  politely  offered  to  place 
detectives  at  the  disposal  of  the  Englishmen  for 
the  proper  custody  of  their  captive.  Brett  thanked 
him,  but  declined  the  proffered  assistance,  having 
decided  to  warn  Winter  not  to  interfere. 


PIECING   THE   PUZZLE  293 

"  The  only  prisoner  of  interest,"  he  explained, 
"  received  such  severe  injuries  during  a  struggle 
which  he  brought  on  himself  that  he  will  be  quite 
unable  to  be  moved  for  several  days.  His  right 
arm  is  broken,  and  his  face  has  been  reduced  to  a 
pulp.  There  is  a  stout  Frenchman  named  Beau- 
caire  and  three  Turks  who  accompanied  him,  whom 
I  recommend  to  your  safe  custody.  We  bring  no 
charge  against  them,  but  it  would  be  as  well  to 
keep  them  under  lock  and  key  until  we  have  left 
Palermo." 

"  Do  you  mean  the  innkeeper  Gros  Jean  and  the 
Turks  who  accompanied  him  from  Messina  by 
train  to-day  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  You  need  not  trouble  about  them.  They  have 
all  been  carried  to  the  hospital." 

"  What !  "  exclaimed  Brett.  "  How  did  they 
come  to  be  injured  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  tell  you  exactly,  but  they,  together 
with  some  sailors  from  the  fishing-smack,  were 
knocked  senseless  by  the  crew  of  the  steam  yacht 
when  the  young  lady  was  shot." 

"  What  young  lady  ?  "  demanded  Brett  and 
Talbot  together.  This  conversation  had  taken 
place  in  the  entrance  of  the  hotel,  whilst  Dubois 
was  being  carried  to  a  bedroom  by  the  servants. 

"  Did  you  not  know  ?  "  inquired  the  official 
gravely.  "  The  young  lady  was  of  your  company 
who  stayed  here  with  you — the  niece  of  milord,  the 
elderly  gentleman." 

"  Edith  !  Shot,  did  you  say  !  "  cried  her  brother: 
leaning  against  the  barrister  for  support. 

"  Yes,  but  not  seriously,  I  hope.  She  has  been 
brought  here.  The  doctors  are  now  with  her  in 
her  room." 


294       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  Who  shot  her  ?  "  demanded  Brett  savagely. 

"  The  person  who  was  flung  into  the  harbour  by 
the  other  milord.  It  is  stated  that  she  is  a  woman, 
but  really  at  this  moment  I  have  not  heard  all  the 
facts.  She  was  carried  to  the  hospital  with  the 
others." 

The  two  waited  to  hear  no  more.  They  ran 
upstairs,  and  Talbot  would  have  fallen  twice  had  not 
Brett  supported  him.  Reaching  the  corridor  which 
contained  their  apartments  they  found  Sir  Hubert, 
Lord  Fairholme,  Daubeney,  and  Mr.  Winter  stand- 
ing silently,  a  sorrowful,  motionless  group,  outside 
Edith's  room. 

"  What  terrible  thing  has  happened  ?  "  Brett 
asked  them.  "  Surely  Miss  Talbot  cannot  be  seri- 
ously hurt  ?  " 

The  only  one  who  could  answer  was  Mr.  Winter. 

"  We  hope  not,  sir,"  he  said,  "  but  the  doctors 
will  be  here  in  a  moment.  They  are  extracting  the 
bullet  now." 

Before  the  bewildered  barrister  could  frame 
another  question  the  door  of  Edith's  room  opened 
noiselessly,  and  two  Italian  gentlemen  emerged. 
One  of  them  spoke  English  well.  He  addressed 
himself  to  Sir  Hubert  Fitzjames. 

"  I  am  glad  to  tell  you,"  he  said  cheerfully,  "  that 
the  young  lady's  wound  is  not  at  all  dangerous.  It 
looks  worse  than  it  is.  Most  fortunately,  the  bullet 
first  struck  a  large  bone  button  on  her  coat.  This, 
combined  with  the  thick  woollen  material,  and 
some  small  amount  of  padding  placed  beneath  the 
collar  by  the  maker,  offered  such  resistance  that 
the  bullet  lodged  itself  against  the  collar  bone  with- 
out breaking  it.  Consequently,  although  the  wound 
has  a  nasty  appearance,  it  is  not  at  all  serious. 
The  young  lady  herself  makes  light  of  it.  Indeed, 


PIECING   THE   PUZZLE  295 

she  thought  that  an  anaesthetic  was  unnecessary, 
but  of  course  we  administered  one  prior  to  extrac- 
tion, and  she  is  now  resting  quietly." 

"  You  are  not  deceiving  us,  doctor  ?  Tell  us 
the  truth,  for  Heaven's  sake."  It  was  Fairholme's 
voice,  broken  and  hollow,  that  so  fiercely  uttered 
these  words. 

The  kindly  doctor  turned  and  placed  his  hand 
upon  the  earl's  shoulder. 

"  I  would  not  dream  of  such  a  thing,"  he  an- 
swered. "  It  would  be  cruel  to  raise  false  hopes  if 
the  young  lady's  condition  were  really  dangerous. 
Believe  me,  there  is  nothing  to  fear.  With  the 
careful  attention  she  will  receive,  she  will  be  well 
able  to  travel  within  a  week,  though,  of  course, 
the  wound  will  not  be  fully  healed  until  later." 

Sir  Hubert  managed  to  stammer — 

"  When  can  we  see  her  ?  " 

"  As  soon  as  she  wakes  from  sleep.  We  have 
given  her  a  small  draught,  you  understand,  to  secure 
complete  rest  after  the  shock  of  the  operation.  My 
colleague  and  I  will  return  here  at  eight  o'clock, 
and  then  there  will  probably  be  no  reason  why  you 
should  not  speak  to  her.  Meanwhile  be  confident ; 
there  is  absolutely  no  cause  for  alarm." 

With  this  reassuring  statement  they  had  perforce 
to  rest  content.  The  medical  men  were  about  to 
take  their  departure  when  Brett  intervened. 

"  There  is  yet  another  patient  who  requires  your 
attention,  gentlemen,"  he  said.  "  You  will  find 
him  in  room  No.  41.  He  is  suffering  from  a  broken 
arm  and  other  injuries." 

The  doctors  hurried  off,  and  it  was  not  long  be- 
fore they  were  able  to  make  a  satisfactory  report 
concerning  Dubois. 

"  The  fracture  of  the  ulna  is  a  simple  one,"  said 


296       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

the  spokesman,  "  and  will  become  all  right  in  the 
ordinary  course  of  nature.  But  what  happened  to 
the  man's  face  ?  " 

"  He  settled  a  slight  dispute  with  my  friend  here," 
said  Brett,  indicating  Talbot,  who  was  leaning  with 
his  head  wearily  resting  on  his  hands.  The  acci- 
dent to  Edith  had  utterly  unnerved  her  brother. 

"  Then  all  I  can  say,"  remarked  the  doctor, 
when  he  took  his  leave,  "  is  that  the  settlement 
was  complete.  Whatever  the  debt  may  have  been, 
it  is  paid  in  full !  " 

The  Englishmen  were  now  safe  in  the  seclusion 
of  a  private  room,  so  Brett  resolved  to  arouse  Talbot 
from  the  stupor  which  had  settled  upon  him. 

"  Listen  to  me,  Jack,"  he  said.  "  You  must  pull 
yourself  together.  Don't  forget  you  have  an  im- 
portant trust  to  discharge.  Our  first  duty  is  to 
ascertain  whether  or  not  the  diamonds  are  intact." 

He  laid  on  the  table  the  belt  taken  from  Dubois, 
and  lifted  out  its  precious  contents  with  careful 
exactness.  The  men  crowded  around.  Even 
amidst  the  exciting  events  of  the  hour,  the  sight  of 
the  fateful  stones  which  had  caused  so  much  turmoil 
and  bloodshed  could  not  fail  to  be  deeply  interesting. 

Predominant  among  them  was  the  Imperial  dia- 
mond, luminous,  gigantic,  awesome  in  its  potenti- 
alities. Its  size  and  known  value  rendered  it  one 
of  the  most  remarkable  objects  in  the  world,  whilst 
even  in  its  present  unfinished  state  the  facets  al- 
ready cut  by  the  workmen  gave  evidence  to  its 
brilliant  purity. 

Pulling  himself  together  by  an  effort,  Talbot  ad- 
vanced to  the  table  and  slowly  counted  the  stones. 
There  were  fifty-one  all  told,  and  even  the  smallest 
of  the  collection  was  a  diamond  of  great  value. 

"  Yes,"  he  said,  "  that  is  the  correct  number. 


PIECING   THE   PUZZLE  297 

I  cannot  be  certain,  but  I  believe  they  are  the  origi- 
nals. The  big  one  certainly  is.  It  will  be  one  of 
the  happiest  days  of  my  life  when  I  see  the  last  of 
them." 

"  That  day  will  arrive  soon,"  remarked  Brett 
quietly.  "  You  and  I,  Mr.  Whiter,  must  sail  on 
the  Blue-Bell  to-night  for  Marseilles.  That  is,  if 
Mr.  Daubeney  is  agreeable,"  he  added,  turning  to 
that  worthy  gentleman,  whose  face  was  a  trifle 
paler  than  it  had  been  for  years. 

"  I  am  at  your  service,  gentlemen,"  he  announced 
promptly. 

"  But  what  about  Fairholme  and  the  young 
lady,"  he  went  on,  turning  to  Sir  Hubert. 

"  I  think  I  understand,"  replied  the  baronet. 
"  Mr.  Brett  means  that  these  wretched  diamonds 
should  pass  officially  out  of  the  control  of  the 
British  Government  as  early  as  possible." 

The  barrister  nodded. 

"  That  being  so,  no  time  should  be  lost.  Edith, 
should  all  go  well,  will  be  compelled  in  any  event 
to  remain  here  for  several  days  before  she  can  be 
removed.  You,  Jack,  and  you,  Mr.  Brett,  should 
you  so  desire,  can  easily  return  here  from  London, 
after  having  fulfilled  the  trust  reposed  in  you." 

"  Then  I  only  make  one  stipulation,"  put  in 
Daubeney  quickly.  "  The  Blue-Bell  will  remain 
hi  Marseilles  and  bring  you  back." 

His  eagerness  evoked  a  quiet  smile  all  round,  and 
it  was  generally  agreed  that  this  programme  should 
be  followed.  In  the  brief  discussion  which  ensued, 
Mr.  Winter  explained  his  earlier  movements.  The 
detectives  attached  to  the  British  Embassy  in  Paris 
told  him  of  Dubois'  journey  to  Marseilles. 

Learning  that  Brett  was  staying  at  the  Hotel  du 
Louvre  et  de  la  Paix,  he  went  straight  there  on  his 


298       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

arrival,  only  to  learn  that  the  barrister  and  some 
friends  had  quitted  Marseilles  that  day  on  a  private 
yacht  bound  for  Palermo.  The  local  police  filled 
in  some  of  the  details,  but  chance  did  the  rest. 

Going  to  the  P.  and  O.  office  to  book  his  passage 
to  Messina  on  the  Ganges,  he  heard  of  Gros  Jean 
and  the  Turks,  and  then  knew  that  he  was  on  the 
right  scent. 

There  was  a  touching  meeting  between  Edith 
and  the  others  that  evening.  She  was  naturally 
pale  and  weak,  but  her  buoyant  spirit  triumphed 
over  physical  defects,  and  she  made  light  of  her 
injuries.  Even  Fairholme  was  restored  to  a  state 
of  sanity  by  his  brief  visit,  a  fact  that  was  evidenced 
by  his  quiet  enjoyment  of  a  cigar  when  he  walked 
down  to  the  quay  to  witness  the  departure  of  the 
Blue-Bell. 

Before  leaving  Palermo  Brett  had  another  inter- 
view with  the  Chief  of  Police,  the  result  being  that 
unobtrusive  but  effective  means  were  taken  to 
safeguard  the  different  members  of  the  gang  which 
had  caused  so  much  personal  suffering  and  diplo- 
matic uneasiness. 

The  reception  of  the  party  in  London  may  be 
detailed  in  a  sentence.  The  Turkish  Ambassador 
was  specially  instructed  from  Constantinople  to 
take  charge  of  the  diamonds,  and  Talbot  had  the 
keen  satisfaction  of  personally  handing  them  over 
to  the  Sultan's  representative,  in  the  presence  of 
his  chief  at  the  Foreign  Office.  The  unlucky  gems 
were  forthwith  taken  back  to  their  owner,  and  no 
doubt  repose  at  this  moment  in  a  special  reliquary, 
together  with  other  mementoes  of  the  Prophet,  for 
the  project  which  led  to  their  first  visit  to  London 
was  definitely  abandoned. 

Meanwhile  daily  telegrams  from  Palermo  assured 


PIECING    THE   PUZZLE  299 

Talbot  and  Brett  as  to  the  continued  progress  of  the 
fair  sufferer,  who  had  so  nearly  sacrificed  her  life 
in  her  devoted  championship  of  her  brother's  cause. 

At  last  a  day  came  when  the  Blue-Bell  again 
steamed  into  the  harbour  of  Palermo,  and  the  man- 
ner in  which  Fairholme  shouted  when  he  caught 
sight  of  Daubeney  standing  on  the  bridge  was  in 
itself  sufficient  indication  that  all  had  gone  well 
during  their  absence. 

The  travellers  were  surprised  and  delighted  to 
find  Edith  herself  seated  in  a  carriage  with  her  uncle 
on  the  wharf.  Were  it  not  that  she  was  pale,  and 
her  right  arm  was  tightly  strapped  across  her  breast 
to  prevent  any  movement  of  the  injured  shoulder, 
no  one  could  have  guessed  that  she  had  recently 
undergone  such  a  terrible  experience. 

But  Brett,  delighted  as  he  was  to  meet  his  friends 
again  under  such  pleasant  conditions,  experienced 
the  keenest  sentiments  of  triumphant  elation  when 
he  entered  the  apartment  where  Dubois  was  still 
confined  under  the  watchful  guard  of  two  detectives. 

Talbot  accompanied  him.  The  young  English- 
man had  by  this  time  quite  forgiven  his  enemy. 
He  felt  that  he  was  more  than  quits  with  him.  In- 
deed, he  was  the  first  to  speak  when  they  came 
together. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  see  it  is  your  turn  to  be  trussed 
up  in  bed,  Dubois,"  he  said.  "  How  are  you  feeling 
now  ?  Getting  along  all  right,  I  hope." 

The  Frenchman  did  not  answer  him  directly.  A 
faint  smile  illumined  his  pale  face.  He  turned  to 
Brett  with  a  nonchalant  question — 

"  Mr.  Brett,  have  you  any  influence  with  those 
two  worthy  Italian  doctors  ?  " 

"  Perhaps,"  said  the  barrister.  "  What  is  it 
you  want  ?  " 


300       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  I  want  a  cigarette.  They  won't  let  me  smoke. 
Surely  to  goodness,  a  cigarette  won't  hurt  my  arm." 

The  barrister  turned  a  questioning  glance  towards 
the  male  nurse  in  charge  of  the  patient,  but  the  man 
did  not  understand  what  had  been  said.  Brett, 
who  spoke  no  Italian,  indicated  by  pantomime 
what  it  was  the  Frenchman  required,  and  the  atten- 
dant signified  his  sentiments  in  silent  eloquence — 
he  turned  and  looked  out  of  the  window.  So  Dubois 
enjoyed  his  cigarette  in  peace.  He  gave  a  sigh  of 
great  contentment,  and  then  said,  lazily — 

"  Now,  ask  me  anything  you  like.    I  am  ready." 

"  There  is  only  one  point  concerning  which  I  am 
really  at  fault,"  began  Brett.  "  How  did  your 
Turkish  associates  manage  to  murder  Mehemet  Ali 
and  his  secretaries  so  quietly  ?  " 

"  Oh,  that  was  easy  enough,"  declared  the  French- 
man. '*  You  understand  I  was  in  no  way  respon- 
sible for  the  blood-letting,  and  indeed  strongly  dis- 
approved of  it." 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  barrister.     "  I  believe  that." 

"  Well,  the  rest  of  the  business  was  simplicity 
itself.  Hussein — the  Envoy's  confidential  servant 
— was  in  our  pay.  It  was,  of  course,  absolutely 
necessary  to  have  an  accomplice  in  the  house,  and 
his  price  was  a  small  one — five  hundred  pounds,  I 
think.  The  credentials  we  brought,  which  you, 
Mr.  Talbot,  examined,  were  not  forgeries." 

"  How  can  that  be  ?  "  cried  Jack.  "  The  Sultan 
would  never  be  a  party  to  a  plot  for  his  own  un- 
doing." 

"  Don't  ask  me  for  explanations  I  cannot  give," 
responded  Dubois  coolly.  "  The  exact  facts  of  this 
story  can  only  be  ascertained  at  Yildiz  Kiosk,  and 
I  do  not  suppose  that  anyone  there  will  ever  tell 
you.  No  doubt  you  saw  for  yourself  that  Mehemet 


PIECING   THE   PUZZLE  301 

All  was  convinced.  Were  it  not  for  you,  he  would 
have  given  up  control  that  night.  But  you  and 
your  policemen,  and  your  confounded  English 
notions  of  right  and  wrong,  rendered  necessary  the 
adoption  of  the  second  part  of  the  plan  we  had 
decided  on,  in  case  the  first  miscarried.  After  I  left 
the  house  with  you,  Hussein  brought  in  more  coffee. 
That  which  he  and  my  Turkish  friends  drank  was 
all  right.  The  beverage  given  to  Mehemet  Ali  and 
his  secretaries  was  drugged." 

"  Ah !  "  interrupted  Brett,  "  that  explains  every- 
thing. But  why  was  Hussein  killed  ?  " 

"  That  is  another  matter,  which  only  a  Turk  can 
understand.  These  fellows  believe  in  the  knife  or 
a  piece  of  whipcord  as  ending  unpleasant  difficulties 
most  effectually.  You  see  they  were  not  ordinary 
rogues.  They  pretended  to  be  conspirators  actu- 
ated by  pure  political  motives — motives  which  a 
common  servant  like  Hussein  could  not  really  be 
expected  to  appreciate.  So  to  close  his  mouth 
thoroughly  they  stabbed  him  whilst  he  was  taking 
some  loose  cash  from  his  master's  pockets.  Then 
it  occurred  to  them  that  when  Mehemet  Ali  and  the 
others  recovered  from  the  effects  of  the  drug,  they 
also  would  be  able  to  throw  an  unpleasantly  strong 
light  on  the  complicity  of  certain  high  personages 
hi  Constantinople.  This  was  sufficient  reason  for 
the  adoption  of  strong  measures,  so  they  also  were 
peacefully  despatched." 

"  But  where  did  the  knife  come  from  ?  "  pur- 
sued Brett.  "  It  was  not  in  their  possession  when 
they  entered,  nor  when  they  left." 

"  No  ;  of  course  not.  Hussein  brought  it  himself, 
to  be  used  in  case  of  necessity.  He  also  brought  the 
pliers  which  cut  the  wire  blinds,  and  the  material 
used  for  concealing  the  broken  strands  subse- 


302        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

quently.  Hussein  was  really  an  excellent  con- 
federate, and  I  was  furious  when  I  heard  that  he 
was  dead.  You  know  how  the  diamonds  were 
abstracted  from  the  house  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Brett.  "  They  were  made  up  into 
a  parcel  and  flung  through  the  window  into  the  Park. 
The  knife  and  the  pliers  accompanied  them,  I  sup- 
pose ?  " 

"  The  third  Turk — the  gentleman  who  pulled 
you  down  on  to  the  bed  so  unceremoniously,  Mr. 
Talbot — was  waiting  there  for  the  packet.  But  he 
had  to  hide  in  the  Park  all  the  night,  until  the  gates 
were  opened  in  the  morning.  It  was  a  ticklish 
business  right  through.  I  did  not  know  at  what 
hour  the  police  might  discover  the  extent  of  the 
crime.  The  diamonds  did  not  reach  me  until  seven 
o'clock.  And  then  I  had  some  difficulty  in  per- 
suading the  Turks  to  give  them  up  to  me.  You 
see,  I  had  my  own  little  plan,  too,  which  these  excel- 
lent gentlemen  never  suspected,  as  they  already 
had  paid  me  £5,000  for  my  help.  But  the  real  heads 
of  the  party  were  in  Paris — Hussein-ul-Mulk  and 
that  gang,  you  know — and  by  representing  the  dan- 
ger to  their  cause  which  would  result  from  any 
attempt  on  the  part  of  the  Turks  in  London  to 
reach  France,  they  were  at  last  persuaded.  By 
nine  o'clock  that  morning  I  got  them  safely  off  to 
the  docks,  where  they  boarded  a  vessel  bound  for 
Smyrna.  Their  passages  were  already  booked  in 
Armenian  names.  Gros  Jean,  who  had  no  con- 
nexion with  the  affair  personally,  stayed  at  a  little 
hotel  in  Soho  in  order  to  report  all  clear  during  the 
next  few  days.  He  happened  by  chance  to  travel 
with  you  and  the  other  man.  It  was  a  clever 
scheme,  I  assure  you,  from  beginning  to  end.  By 
the  way,  may  I  trouble  you  for  another  cigarette  ?  " 


PIECING   THE   PUZZLE  303 

"  These  are  not  equal  to  Hussein-ul-Mulk's," 
said  Brett,  producing  his  case. 

"  No,  he  has  an  exquisite  taste  in  tobacco.  But 
I  nearly  fooled  him  with  the  dummy  diamonds.  I 
would  have  done  so  if  it  had  not  been  for  you.  Do 
you  know,  Mr.  Brett,  I  have  always  underrated 
Englishmen's  brains.  You  are  really  stupid  as  a 
nation  " — here  Talbot  almost  blushed — "  but  you 
are  an  exception.  You  ought  to  be  a  Frenchman." 

"  I  suppose  I  may  regard  that  as  a  compliment  ?  " 
remarked  Brett  casually. 

"  Take  it  as  you  like,"  said  Dubois.  "  And 
now  that  I  have  told  you  all  that  you  want  to  know, 
I  suppose,  may  I  ask  you  a  question  of  some  interest 
to  myself  ?  What  is  to  become  of  me  ?  Am  I  to 
be  hanged,  or  imprisoned,  or  passed  on  to  the  Sul- 
tan for  treatment  ?  " 

Brett  was  silent  for  a  few  moments.  He  had 
fully  discussed  Dubois'  connexion  with  the  British 
authorities. 

"  How  much  of  the  five  thousand  pounds  given 
you  by  the  Turks  remains  in  your  possession  ?  "  he 
demanded. 

The  Frenchman  hesitated  before  replying — 

"  There  is  no  use  lying  to  you.  I  have  not  yet 
expended  the  first  thousand,  although  I  had  to  pay 
pretty  dearly  for  a  good  many  things." 

Again  there  was  silence. 

"  Why  did  you  come  here  ?  "  asked  the  barrister. 

"  Because  I  would  be  safe  for  some  months  with 
a  few  hospitable  gentlemen  whom  I  know  up  in  the 
hills  there."  He  nodded  towards  the  window, 
through  which  they  could  see  the  blue  crests  of  the 
distant  mountains. 

"  And  then  ?  " 

"  Then  Marguerite  and  I  were  going  to  the  Argen- 


304       THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

tine,  to  dwell  in  rural  felicity,  and  teach  our  children 
to  bless  the  name  of  Mahomet  and  Abdul  Hamid." 

"  Marguerite  is  Mademoiselle  Beaucaire  ?  " 

"  Yes,  poor  girl !  I  hear  she  is  ill  and  in  prison, 
together  with  her  excellent  father.  Really,  Mr. 
Brett,  I  cannot  help  liking  you,  but  I  ought  to  feel 
anxious  to  cut  your  throat." 

"  In  that  case  you  would  certainly  be  hanged. 
Are  you  married  to  Mademoiselle  Beaucaire  ?  " 

The  Frenchman  darted  a  quick  and  angry  look 
at  his  inquisitor. 

"  What  has  that  to  do  with  you  ?  "  he  snarled. 

Dubois'  future  had  already  been  determined. 
The  rascal  was  more  fortunate  than  he  deserved  to 
be.  Owing  to  the  lucky  chance  that  his  crime  had 
a  political  significance  he  would  escape  punishment. 
By  no  known  form  of  European  law  could  he  be 
brought  to  trial  on  any  charge  and  at  the  same 
time  gagged  in  his  defence.  The  slightest  public 
reference  to  either  the  theft  of  the  diamonds  or  the 
Sultan's  original  intentions  with  regard  to  them 
would  create  such  a  storm  in  the  Mohammedan 
world  that  no  man  could  prophesy  the  end. 

When  the  Ottoman  Empire  is  next  torn  asunder 
by  civil  war  other  thrones  will  rock  to  their  founda- 
tions. Half  unconsciously,  though  he  had  a  glim- 
mering perception  of  the  truth,  Henri  Dubois  was 
saved  by  the  magnitude  of  the  interests  involved. 

Brett  knew  exactly  how  to  deal  with  him.  But  a 
fantastic  project  had  arisen  in  his  mind,  and  he 
determined  to  graft  it  upon  the  drastic  expedient 
adopted  by  the  authorities.  He  abruptly  broke  off 
the  conversation  and  told  the  Frenchman  that  he 
would  call  again  during  the  afternoon. 

True  to  his  promise,  Talbot  and  he  visited  the 
injured  man  some  hours  later.  This  time  they  were 


PIECING  THE  PUZZLE  305 

accompanied  by  a  stout  individual  and  a  closely- 
veiled  lady — Gros  Jean  and  his  daughter. 

The  meeting  between  Henri  and  Marguerite  was 
pathetic.  It  was  at  the  same  time  exceedingly 
French,  and  somewhat  trying  to  the  nerves  of  the 
Englishmen. 

At  last  the  couple  calmed  their  transports,  and 
Brett  promptly  recalled  them  to  a  sense  of  their 
surroundings  by  reminding  them  that  there  was 
serious  business  to  be  discussed. 

"  I  am  commissioned  to  inform  you,"  he  said, 
addressing  Dubois,  "  that  if  you  proceed  direct  to 
the  Argentine,  never  attempt  to  revisit  France,  and 
keep  your  mouth  closed  as  to  your  attempt  to  pur- 
loin the  Sultan's  jewels,  you  will  be  set  at  liberty 
here,  and  no  effort  will  be  made  by  the  French  or 
English  police  to  arrest  you.  The  infringement  of 
any  of  these  conditions  will  lead  to  your  extradition 
and  a  sentence  of  penal  servitude  for  life." 

"  Ma  foi  \ "  cried  the  Frenchman,  looking  in- 
tently into  the  barrister's  inscrutable  face.  "  Why 
such  tenderness  ?  " 

Brett  would  not  give  him  time  for  prolonged 
reflection. 

"  I  have  not  yet  finished,"  he  said  drily.  "  I 
imagine  that  Mile.  Beaucaire  cannot  produce  a 
marriage  certificate.  She  will  be  supplied  with  one, 
to  permit  her  to  travel  with  you  as  your  lawful  wife." 

The  pair  were  startled.  They  somewhat  relaxed 
the  close  embrace  in  which  they  sat.  The  man's 
handsome  face  flushed  with  anger.  The  woman 
became  a  shade  paler  and  looked  from  the  barrister 
to  her  lover. 

"  Good,"  growled  Gros  Jean.     "  Quite  right !  " 

"  We  can  manage  our  own  affairs,"  began  Dubois 
savagely  ;  but  Brett  again  took  up  the  parable. 

v 


306        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  You  owe  this  lady  a  deep  debt  of  gratitude  for 
her  unswerving  devotion  to  you.  She  has  helped 
you  to  lead  an  evil  life  ;  let  her  now  assist  you  in  a 
better  career.  You  have  your  chance.  Will  you 
take  it  ?  " 

La  Belle  Chasseuse  sat  mute  and  downcast. 
This  personal  development  came  as  a  complete 
surprise  to  her.  Pride  would  not  permit  her  to 
plead  her  own  cause.  Dubois  glanced  at  her 
covertly.  He  was  still  annoyed  and  defiant ;  but 
even  he,  hardened  scoundrel  and  cynic  though 
he  was,  could  not  find  words  to  contest  Brett's 
decision. 

The  barrister  deemed  the  moment  ripe  for  his 
final  smashing  argument.  He  came  somewhat 
nearer  to  the  bed,  and  said  with  exasperating 
coolness — 

"  There  is  a  secret  room  in  the  Cabaret  Noir,  the 
contents  of  which  have  not  yet  been  too  closely 
examined  by  the  police.  It  is  in  their  charge.  At 
my  request,  backed  up  by  the  British  Foreign  Office, 
they  have  thus  far  deferred  a  detailed  scrutiny. 
Perhaps  if  the  external  influence  is  removed  they 
may  press  their  investigations  to  a  point  when  it 
will  be  impossible  to  permit  your  contemplated 
voyage  to  the  Argentine.  You  know  best.  I 
have  nothing  further  to  say." 

Dubois  looked  at  him  in  moody  silence.  The 
Argentine — with  £4,000  ?  Yes.  But  a  wife  ! 

Suddenly  all  eyes  were  attracted  to  Gros  Jean, 
who  emitted  a  gasping  groan.  His  fat  cheeks  were 
livid,  and  huge  drops  of  perspiration  stood  on  his 
brow.  Feeling  that  the  others  were  regarding  him 
intently,  he  made  a  desperate  effort  to  recover  his 
composure. 

"  It  is  nothing  !  *  he  gurgled.     "  The   English 


PIECING  THE  PUZZLE  307 

gentleman's  proposal  with  regard  to  my  daughter 
interested  me,  that  is  all." 

Dubois  and  the  innkeeper  gazed  intently  into 
each  other's  eyes  for  a  few  trying  seconds.  Then 
the  Frenchman  drew  Marguerite  closer  to  him,  with 
his  uninjured  arm,  and  said — 

"  Let  us  get  married,  ma  fitite.      It  is  essential." 

And  married  they  were  forthwith,  a  priest  and 
an  official  from  the  Mayor's  office  being  in  waiting 
at  the  hotel.  Whilst  they  were  signing  the  register 
Gros  Jean  motioned  Brett  to  one  side. 

"Allow  me  to  thank  you,  M'sieu',  for  the  kind 
ness  you  have  shown,"  he  murmured.     "  Touching 
that  hidden  room  in  the  Cabaret,  now.     Do  the 
police  really  know  of  it  ?     You  were  not  joking  ?  " 

"  Not  in  the  least." 

"  Then,  M'sieu',  I  accompany  them  to  the  Argen- 
tine," and  he  jerked  his  thumb  towards  Dubois  and 
his  wife.  "  Paris  is  no  place  for  me." 

Soon  after  the  ceremony  Mme.  Dubois  asked  to 
be  allowed  to  visit  Edith.  When  the  two  women 
met  Marguerite  flung  herself  impulsively  on  her 
knees  and  sobbed  out  a  request  for  forgiveness.  Miss 
Talbot  should  have  been  very  angry  with  her  erring 
sister.  She  was  not.  She  took  the  keenest  interest 
in  the  Frenchwoman's  romantic  history.  They 
talked  until  Fairholme  became  impatient.  He  had 
not  seen  Edith  for  two  whole  hours. 


Six  months  later,  when  the  Earl  and  Countess  of 
Fairholme  returned  from  a  prolonged  wedding  tour 
on  the  Blue-Bell  through  the  Norwegian  fiords,  Brett 
was  invited  to  dinner.  Talbot  was  there,  of  course, 
and  Daubeney,  and  Sir  Hubert. 


308        THE   ALBERT   GATE   AFFAIR 

"  Constantinople  must  be  a  queer  place,"  ob- 
served Jack  after  the  first  rush  of  animated  converse 
had  exhausted  itself. 

"  Surely  there  are  no  more  diamond  mysteries 
on  foot !  "  cried  his  charming  sister,  who  looked 
delightfully  well,  and  brown  as  a  berry  with  the  keen 
sea  breezes  of  the  hardy  North. 

"  Not  exactly  ;  but  I  made  some  inquiries  through 
a  friend  of  mine  in  the  Legation.  Hussein-ul-Mulk 
and  his  two  Paris  friends  are  quite  important 
functionaries  in  the  palace.  You  remember  that  the 
other  pair  of  scoundrels  escaped  to  Smyrna  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  cried  everybody. 

"  Well,  Mehemet  Ali's  relatives  heard  the  truth 
about  them  by  some  means.  Within  a  reasonable 
time  they  were  chopped  into  small  pieces,  with  other 
details  that  need  not  be  repeated." 

"  Dogs,  or  pigs  ?  "  inquired  Brett. 

"  Dogs  !  " 

"  I  wish  you  wouldn't  say  such  horrid  things," 
protested  Edith.  "  Is  there  any  news  of  Monsieur 
and  Madame  Dubois,  and  the  fat  man  Gros  Jean  ?  " 

"  You  will  receive  some  in  the  drawing-room, 
Lady  Fairholme,"  said  Brett ;  and  not  another 
word  of  explanation  would  he  give  until  dinner  was 
ended. 

In  the  drawing-room  her  ladyship  was  delighted 
to  find  a  splendid  cockatoo,  magnificent  in  size  and 
white  as  snow,  save  for  the  brilliant  red  crest  which 
he  elevated  when  they  all  crowded  round  his  hand- 
some cage. 

"  The  happy  couple  in  the  Argentine  sent  him  to 
me  to  be  presented  to  you  on  your  return,"  explained 
the  barrister.  "  He  is  named  '  Le  Prophete,'  and 
he  talks  beautifully — indeed,  his  language  is  most 
emphatic,  but  it  is  all  French." 


PIECING  THE  PUZZLE  309 

"What  a  darling!"  cried  Edith.     "I  do  wish 


he   would   say   something.     Cher  Proph&te, 
avec  moi  !  " 

And  immediately  the  cockatoo  stretched  his  wings 
and  screamed  — 

"  Vive  Mahomet  !    Vive  le  Sultan  I    A  bas  les 
Grecs  I  d  bas  !  d  bas  I  " 


FINIS 


A     000  040  657     9 


